Hero of the Soviet Union
by Lord of Misrule
Summary: A Stargate Alternate Universe set in the Cold War. Wha if it was not the United States which acquired the Stargate, but the Soviet Union...
1. Chapter 1

Berlin

April, 1945

He pushed down on the raised symbols, the metal moderately warm under the palm of his hands, the edges of the alien designs firm on his skin. Each of the panels arranged in a circle on top of the pedestal illuminated in sequence, the selection transferred to a corresponding signal on the large dark grey ring standing a dozen feet away bathed in the white glow of spot lights. It was stood up against a concrete wall a hundred feet beneath Berlin, yet by improbable fortune it represented the ultimate escape.

It had been unthinkable that escape was needed, just a few short years ago the Third Reich was master of all it surveyed from one side of Europe to another. The British were sidelined and consider no great threat while the Soviets were bleeding on the armoured steel of the Panzer divisions. To speak of defeat then would have been met with peels of laughter, but not any more. Now it was inevitable, the Reich would fall but would not die.

The Fuhrer in his wisdom had a contingency. While he publicly extolled the German people to fight on and immolate themselves in glorious resistance he and his elite would flee through this alien ring and carry the ideals of the Reich to the stars where they would thrive. He took only his most pure and ideal followers, the embodiment of Aryan supremacy and cast aside his other sycophants and cronies. They had all failed the German Reich so they could stay here and burn with it.

When the last symbol illuminated on the ring and its movement ceased the familiar explosion of energy heralded the formation of a stable wormhole to another world, a new and more suitable world. As soon as it stabilised the long lines of refugees began to file through interspersed with trucks and other smaller vehicles making good their escape.

Colonel Voss watched them pass by, the vehicles loaded with essential supplies and materials for the new Reich. Most carried fuel and vehicle parts for the Panther II tanks already moved through in pieces while others held machinery parts to add to the factories springing up on the new world, codenamed Thule by Hitler himself. Scattered among the machinery were also treasures of art and culture, so that the new Reich would not loose it's heritage, along with the wealth plundered from all across Europe that would be used to bribe their way to early prosperity.

The world was one of the first to be discovered after the secret of the gate was discovered. At first exploration was slow and focused on tapping oil and mineral resources to bolster the war effort. In the last six months however it had been transformed into a self sustaining community of farms, factories, refineries and schools. Tenths of thousands of people lived there selected from across the nation, the purest and most forthright products of Hitler's Reich, true blooded Aryans and National Socialist to the core. These people were the heart and soul of the Reich, the embodiment of the Master Race and they would survive in paradise. They would survive, and then they would conquer.

The women and children were already through along with vital workers and their staff. The greatest scientists, most gifted engineers and most capable soldiers. The German Nuclear programme had been moved in its entirety along with prototypes of the latest jet engines and assault weapons. The visionary Professor Werner Von Braun had been on Thule for months continuing to perfect his newest rocket designs while the newly promoted General Skorzenny set up plans for small scale commando teams to expand Nazi influence through the network of gates across the galaxy. Everything was in place, there was only one final piece of the puzzle left.

Among the soldiers and trucks was a single black Mercedes, its thunderous engine ticking over as it came to a stop beside the Colonel. It had driven through the long underground tunnels to this place, safe from attack by the vengeful Russians currently turning the heart of the old Reich into brick dust and bloodstains. In the concrete catacombs Voss offered a salute to the passenger, the diminutive man who had been the architect of Armageddon.

"The evacuation is almost complete my Fuhrer." Voss reported. "All essential supplies and personnel are already through and we have contact with the Eurondans."

The Fuhrer nodded, his new wife sat beside him adjusting her makeup in a compact mirror while his Dog licked its lips on the floor of the car.

"Does General Skorzenny have plans for Euronda?"

"Yes my Fuhrer, he is ready to discuss the first stage of our takeover when you arrive." Voss confirmed. "From their Ambassador we have learned they are so desperate for skilled soldiers they will embrace us without question."

"And will never know their fate until it is too late." The Fuhrer cracked a cold smile. "World by world, one after the other the Reich will rise again. That is our destiny. To rule."

"Of course my Fuhrer."

"This world was too small for us, our enemies too invasive, there was a rot within us from the start, destroying what I created." The small man fumed. "Not this time, this time we are pure, our goal clear, our blood strong. We will be what we are meant to be, and then one day we will return and reclaim our homes."

There were several deep rumbles that shook dust from the roof of the underground chamber, causing more than a few soldiers to glance up in trepidation.

"Russian artillery." Voss observed. "They are very close."

"They are fighting in the Reichstag." Hitler stated flatly. "By now my bunker will have fallen. I have arranged for it to appear I have committed suicide, it should throw them off our trail."

"Yes Fuhrer."

"Are the demolition charges set?"

Voss nodded curtly. "Once we leave this whole chamber will be destroyed and the gate will be buried forever. No records of it exist and all who know of it are either here or dead."

"You are certain?"

"I followed up all leads in person my Fuhrer." Voss confirmed. "It is done."

Beside Voss another soldier stepped up, saluted both the Fuhrer and his Colonel, then handed over a note.

"Excuse me." Voss asked, then checked the message, his frown deepening. "Communist forces have broken through the checkpoint. They have entered the tunnels."

"Assign forces to resist them for as long as possible." Hitler ordered. "Do not let them take the gate."

"I will destroy it myself my Fuhrer."

"Keep it open if possible, the Reich needs true soldiers like you." The Fuhrer shifted in his chair. "Driver, on."

The Mercedes began to roll up to the gate, its black shining chassis catching the light of the rippling entrance.

"Don't wait too long Colonel!" Hitler called from the back of the car. "I will wait for you on Thule, or in Valhalla."

The car vanished into the puddle of light, streams of heavily armed soldiers following.

Voss took a few breaths, rapidly sorting out a few plans in his mind before coming to a conclusion.

"Captain!" He called. "I need a company of men and an anti tank gun."

A nearby officer nodded. "yes sir!"

"Make sure they are heavily armed and know what they are doing!" He demanded, taking an assault rifle from a rack of weapons beside one wall. "We're going to buy some time."

The Captain flagged down a halftrack towing a 75mm gun towards the gate and turned it around, the large vehicle only just managing it in the confines of the concrete tunnel. It set off back the way it came, a smaller weapon than the feared 88 but no less effective. Alongside it ranks of men also headed back, lavishly equipped with assault rifles, machine guns and anti tank weapons.

These soldiers, along with the others that had been sent to Thule were the best in the Reich. Young, fearless and utterly devoted to the Fuhrer they had been indoctrinated since childhood to be warriors, they obeyed every order, fought with a vigour unrivalled in Europe and would never give up. They gave no mercy and in turn received none, even the normally more relaxed western Allies had a policy of shooting such fanatics on sight.

Naturally enough they were part of the SS, Hitler's favourite body of troops and armed with the best weapons the industrialists of the Reich could produce. They jogged past with MP 44s, Panzer Shrecks, G43 rifles and infra red scopes well suited for the murky tunnels. It was unlikely any of them would survive the next few minutes but they didn't care. They would die for the Fatherland, and that was perfectly acceptable to them all, for their deaths would be a temporary inconveniance only, soon they would rejoin their brothers in arms in Valhalla. Such was the perversion of humanity bred by fanatics.

And despite being older and wiser, and despite being no fanatic Voss would die with them because those were his orders, and as an officer he would do his duty.

Major Necheyev squinted in the dull light at his watch, the long grey tunnel lit only sparsely by hanging lights that flickered with each near hit on the ground above. The pounding of guns was reassuring, informing him his fellow soldiers were giving the Fascists the hot lead and cold steel they richly deserved, but the idea that their indiscriminate barrage could drop a million tons of rock and soil on his head was not comforting.

His utility car moved along at a respectable pace keeping up to the trio of tanks leading the way in front of him and leading the three hundred men in trucks behind. They had found this tunnel by accident as they cleared their way through the streets of Berlin, and judging by the determined battle the men on the entrance fought there must be something important down here. That made it worth his attention.

The car bounced a little hefting him in his uncomfortable but pragmatic seat. The vehicle was open topped and small offering him no protection whatsoever from gunfire which wasn't really what the designers at GAZ wanted. The vehicle was merely the Russian version of the American Jeep, a version which was naturally superior in every conceivable way according to the regimental Commissar, but not so superior that it would stop a bullet. For that Necheyev had his wits alone, and a simple plan that involved simply killing any Fascist before they could fire on him. It had worked very well over the past four years.

Viktor Necheyev was something of a cultured man, an educated Muscovite who had wished to become a teacher before the war interfered with his plans. Instead he became a soldier battling around his home city knee deep in snow armed with whatever weapons he could pick up from the dead. The experience changed him and he had instead devoted his intelligence to the task of defeating the invaders as a professional soldier, something he had come to excel at. Stalingrad made him an officer and Kursk gave him a company of mechanised troops to command. After the Red army crossed the Vistula he was promoted to Major and with the relief of his superior for incompetence ended up commanding his regiment as it fought through Eastern Germany under Marshal Zhukov.

Berlin was the prize, the enemy capital and the last great battle of the war. That battle was now drawing to its conclusion, the monster was almost slain and most men were now looking to the future.

No warning was given, the high velocity round passing clean through the frontal armour and crew compartment of the leading T-34 before the sound of the gun firing was even heard. All three tanks had a dozen infantry clung to the sides riding into action, and as the lead vehicle erupted in a blinding orange flash of heat those riders wore reduced to shreds not even recognisable as people. With the low ceiling of the tunnel the explosion was painfully loud but at least served to warn the entire regiment simultaneously that they were under attack.

The second tank slowed enough for its passengers to half jump, half fall off before trying to go around its blazing comrade, moving less than ten yards before a round passed clean through it too. This time the tank did not explode but was effectively put out of action.

Necheyev was out of his car before it even stopped, clutching his iconic PPSh 41 submachine gun in hand, snarling at the wrecked tanks in his path. The tunnel was wide enough for three tanks to drive down abreast, with the two wrecks blocking most of that now he had to take out the anti tank gun before he could advance with his last tank.

"Forward!" He bellowed at the rapidly dismounting men. "Use your grenades! Storm them!"

Necheyev's men were some of the best in the army, shock troopers trained to lead the advance and seize heavily defended enemy strongholds. In terms of their skills and motivation they were the equal of any other elite unit in the world and were in constant competition with the Waffen SS, eager to tear down the pride of the Nazi regime.

The thump of a pintle mounted Dushka machine gun opened up in support, firing through the black smoke of the burning tanks in an attempt to keep the Germans down but with little success. They were firing blind and the Germans knew it, conserving their own fire until clear targets presented themselves. With a cheer the Russians gathered and charged, rushing around the side of the burning tanks and into the teeth of the German defence. With no room to outflank and no cover beyond the smoke the leading soldiers were incredibly vulnerable, something the defenders exploited mercilessly.

A pair of MG42's scythed through the Russian assault, bullets hammering flesh and clinking off the burning vehicles and the walls. A few Russian rounds fired back in response, a handful of Mosin-Nagant or DPM shots that were too wild to do much damage.

Necheyev halted the next wave, he didn't have enough men to charge a pair of machine guns especially as he had no idea what else was ahead. He had no smoke grenades, but his eyes were drawn to the burning wreck of the leading T-34 which was still pouring out black smoke and gradually filling the tunnel with noxious fumes.

"Ganya!" He barked at his last tank. "Hey, here! Can you push this wreck forward?"

"Yes Comrade Major!" The tank commander answered. "But it won't offer much protection from that gun!"

"It doesn't have to, the smoke will!" Necheyev answered. "Mobile smokescreen! Start pushing!"

The T-34 revved up and slowly advanced, bumping into the wreck and rocking both vehicles on their suspension. The lead tank had lost its tracks and several wheels but with a little applied force was still mobile, Ganya's tank nudging it along in front of it.

"Get beside it!" Necheyev hollered. "Use it as cover, grenades ready!"

The AT gun fired again, noticing what the Russians were doing. The shot penetrated the wreck in a small fountain of debris but narrowly missed Ganya's tank, smashing into the concrete wall. Spurred on by the near miss he ordered his driver to speed up, pushing the wreck like a ram towards the German gun and positions. Machine gun fire filled the air, blind but of such volume that several men dropped anyway before they made it into position.

The burning wreck crashed into the gun, lifting it up and pushing it back as the crew dived for cover. At the same time a rain of a dozen grenades sailed over dropping among the SS troops who rushed to flee or throw them back. Both actions were too late. There was a series of loud cracks, the Russian grenades exploding among the machine gun nests and hurling burning hot shrapnel in all directions, pinging off the AT gun and the sizzling hull of the makeshift battering ram. There were several cries of pain telling Necheyev the assault had found its target and the Fascists were reeling. Now to exploit it before they recovered.

"Come on! Kill them!"

He led from the front, not out of some desire for glory but out of necessity. He was at the front already, he had a serviceable weapon and every son of Russia had a duty to kill the enemy, rank not withstanding. His blood was up, adrenalin fuelling his decisions which in hindsight would have appeared almost suicidal. He leapt through the black smoke pouring from the lead tank, scrambled over a wall of sand bags and touched down on the far side of the defences, a pair of bullets instantly ripping into the sandbag by his waist.

The Major returned fire, the sub machinegun clattering pistol bullets out at an alarming rate. He didn't see who fired at him, he just sprayed gunfire in the vague direction of the enemy and hoped it would work. His eyes stung from the smoke and forced him to advance to get away from it, half blinded and coughing he was extremely vulnerable but luckily didn't have to worry, his burst of close range fire had cut down the one man who stood before him and the rest were too busy taking on his followers.

Khaki uniforms poured over the sandbags through the black smoke, shooting and clubbing the dazed defenders. The Germans fought back viciously, snapping off a few controlled bursts from their assault rifles into the Soviets, spinning men on their heels as high powered bullets ripped through them.

The Russians barely noticed, rushing the defenders and jabbing them with bayonets or pummelling them with the stocks of their rifles or machine guns. Some were laughing, perhaps because they enjoyed it or perhaps because they were too terrified to do anything else. Within ten seconds the defence was cleared, though it felt much longer.

"Ganya! Move up!" Necheyev began, croaking as he exhaled the polluting smoke from his lungs. "First Company, lead the way, support the tank!"

The T34 lurched forward, the driver wrestling with the stiff controls to get the iron beast moving again. They were not renowned for their comfort or ease of operation, but the T34 was an almost perfect weapon and exceptionally well suited for its role in the war. Like the men surrounding the tank it was a pure and simple instrument of the Motherland focused on its task and nothing else. Its engine pumped out blue smoke as it ground on, Necheyev keeping a brisk walking pace with it.

"We've lost contact with the defence team."

Voss nodded. "The Marxists will be here in minutes. Man the bunkers, find cover and get ready."

"Yes sir."

The junior officer saluted and bolted to arrange his unit, the camouflaged SS soldiers fanning out and assuming position a few hundred yards from the open gate. The tunnel took a sharp ninety degree turn four hundred yards before reaching the gate, a defensive measure to stop enemies massing for a coordinated attack. The corner was covered by two steel and concrete bunkers armed with machine guns while walls and hastily piled sandbags provided additional hiding places for the German troops.

"Sergeant!" The Colonel bellowed. "Demolitions?"

"All set Herr Colonel." A stout engineer answered. "The detonator is behind the last wall next to the gate, twist it and everything goes away."

"Very good, now get through the gate with your team."

"Sir, we would rather stay and fight."

"Good man." Voss grabbed his shoulder. "But the Reich needs demolition experts, you are a valuable asset Sergeant and you are needed on Thule. Now, go."

The Sergeant saluted, then roused his men. Voss nodded, then waved on the last few trucks.

"Come on! This is not a Sunday Parade! Get through the damn gateway!"

The noise of the vehicles subsided as the last truck bounced through the gate, its cargo deck filled with women and children; chosen from the best families they would eventually provide an appropriate Aryan breeding stock for the new Reich. Several of the worlds the military had surveyed included suitably pure populations who would be introduced into the Reich as long lost brothers and sisters, one or two even had Viking blood which was an excellent starting point. Of course there were other worlds with inferior populations that could pollute the purity of Aryan blood if allowed to spread, something the Reich would deal with in time. But the Untermenschen would serve the Reich well as unskilled labour, working the mines, the mills and the fields. There were many worlds populated by descendants of African origin, and the Negros were well suited for hard labour. So said the Fuhrer, and his word was the only law on Thule.

But even as the truck left for its billion mile journey the low rumble of an engine did not depart with it, the growl of internal combustion reverberating between the walls and ceiling with increasing loudness.

"Here they come!" Voss shouted. "Be ready to meet them!"

There were still a few hundred people crowded in the tunnels waiting to leave, a mix of worthy soldiers and their close families for whom there was no space on trucks. They had to walk, or from this point on, run.

"Get through the gate!" Voss barked. "Don't wait, just go, quickly! We'll keep the Reds back as long as we can!"

He moved forward as the crowd dissolved, rushing in a mass for the safety of the planet beyond the glowing portal. The last men of his command left them, manning their weapons and waiting for the noise to reveal itself. They were all either single or already had teenage children, their families safe beyond the gate. They would not allow the Russians to find them, whatever the cost they would never desecrate Thule.

Voss checked his weapon, drawing back the bolt on the assault rifle and waiting. All around his men stood ready, aiming down the barrels of their machine guns or waiting with grenades and rockets in hand. A handful of men had Luftfausts, shoulder launched anti aircraft rockets fired in clusters of six or eight designed to defeat low flying fighter bombers. Another marvel of German engineering, and sadly, another case of "too little, too late" to change the course of war. But still. against the close packed infantry funnelled through the confines they would be horrifically effective.

The noise of the approaching tank grew louder, the smell of exhaust fumes preceding it. The thunk of tracks and squeal of un-oiled axles joined the monotonous chant of its approach, punctuated by orders and voices yelling something foreign.

"We hold here, let as many evacuees get out as possible." Voss said simply. "And when we can fight no more, we destroy the tunnel. Whatever happens, they will lose and our nation lives on."

The first two men peered around the corner, their eyes wide by the surreal sight of the open gate filling the scene with flickering blue light, momentarily distracting them from the matter at hand.

"For the Reich my brothers." Voss stated with finality. "Shoot."

The guns roared, bursts of lead tearing into the walls and exposed Russians beginning the new phase of the fight. The Soviet response was to bring up their tank, its driver using the wall for cover and exposing only enough of the tank to enable the turret to fire on the Germans opposite. There was a dull explosion as a panzerfaust exploded against the wall beside the tank dropping lumps of concrete to the wall harmlessly. An instant later the T34 replied, blasting a chunk out of the further most bunker and showering metal and concrete shards through the firing slits.

One of the gunners staggered away, hands over his eyes with blood streaming from between his fingers. Voss felt a pang of sympathy, but had no time to act on it.

"You two, in the bunker! Get that gun firing again!"

Necheyev jogged forward as the tank fired a second round, blasting apart a sandbag wall in a shower of yellow and red.

"Comrade Major!" A Sergeant called out. "The Fascists have something! I've never seen anything like it before!"

"Is it a weapon? Has it fired on us?"

"No sir, I do not think so."

"Then ignore it! Focus on the job at hand! We assault, where are…"

He was cut off by a massive earsplitting bang as Ganya's tank was struck by a Panzer Shreck, the extremely effective projectile bursting the turret like ripe fruit and dropping hundreds of pounds of metal in a rain nearby. Necheyev was lucky to escape with a few cuts and a ringing in his ears, too angry and too busy cursing to feel pain.

The tank was an important part of the assault plan, without it his men would have to rush the German lines without cover or direct support, never a good thing. He did have two aces up his sleeve though, a pair of flame throwers, but without cover they'd be dead before they could act.

He looked back, hundreds of expectant eyes watching him, and as he nodded in assurance tot hem he found inspiration.

"Be ready Comrades, I will provide us with some cover. Captain, bring up the flame throwers and follow behind me. We must time this well, because I am only doing something this stupid once."

He darted back along the lines and climbed up into the cab of one of the transport trucks, the passengers already unloaded and ready for battle. It was a big vehicle but totally unprotected, with the volume of fire he could expect from the Germans this was not looking like a good plan. It was however the only thing he could think of.

"Flame team ready!" The Captain reported.

"Alright, bunkers first." He turned the key, shifting the heavy gears into place. "Don't stop for anything."

He pushed the accelerated, the three ton truck picking up speed. Behind him the assault troops made ready, picking up their pace as he drove past the waiting lines and came up to the tank. He chose to accelerate, open the distance between himself and the rest of the unit to more effectively draw fire and attention. With a long breath he shifted up the gears and floored the pedal, jumping past the tank and turning hard.

Gunfire immediately peppered the truck, smashing the windows and hammering loudly on the doors. Necheyev ducked his head, wrestling with the steering wheel as he tried to keep control of the fast moving vehicle. It bumped on the far wall, steel scraping on concrete and bucked to the left as a front tyre was shot out and burst, strips of rubber flapping about on the wheel rims.

Necheyev held steady, peering as high as he dared with bullets punching their way through the truck. The engine was dying, tyres were failing and white steam poured from the shattered radiator, but it was too late, the truck was moving too fast. He opened the door and rolled out, dropping down from the cabin and falling quite a distance to the floor, momentarily forgetting how far up he was. Despite the heavy impact he still looked up in time to see the driverless truck careen into the German lines, riding over one wall before crunching into the side of a bunker.

Necheyev was about to pick himself up when a stern voice told him otherwise.

"Stay down!"

He did not question and instead threw himself flat, hugging the floor as a jet of bright yellow light flared overhead with a whoosh of hot air. The two flame thrower teams had used the distraction well and were now dousing the Fascists in liquid flame, filling the two bunkers in pillars of fire. Necheyev crawled aside, only rising when clear of the deadly streams of light. Figures moved among the flames, alight themselves attempting to put out the inferno or lost in a world they couldn't escape. It was not a pretty end, but it was ultimately an efficient one.

The flames stopped, leaving both bunkers blazing and the defenders in between choking on black fumes. It had been a surprise but already the Germans were recovering and several of them opened fire.

"Forwards!" Necheyev bellowed. "Quickly! Seize the wall!"

The Russians broke into a run, cheering and jeering as they flung themselves through the smoke and between the flames, guns blazing. The Germans were no less determined and met them with a hail of bullets, bringing down dozens of Soviets. A surviving Luftfaust was discharged in jets of white smoke, the rockets gouging a passage through the Russian ranks and severing bodies in their path. It was a strong counter but not strong enough, and within moments the Russians were among them.

Voss brought down the first man fool enough to attack him, the assault rifle effortlessly tearing to shreds the man's chest through his uniform and equipment. The second was a bit closer, too close to shoot so Voss steeped aside, avoided the swing of the Russian's rifle stock, then caught him at the side of the head with his own heavy rifle. Dead or stunned didn't matter, he was out of the fight and in a few seconds that would be enough.

The SS men didn't give an inch, fighting and often clawing at their Soviet foes. He could see one man pinned against a wall literally trying to bite his enemy, so fanatical and desperate was the soldier. Noble as it was they were hugely outnumbered and outgunned, the Soviets were seconds from breaking through. Voss knew what had to be done.

He turned and ran for the detonator, seeing the gate close as he ran to it, the final hope of the Reich escaping beyond Soviet reach. He grinned, even knowing that he now had no route of escape, smiling because Thule was safe. He crouched behind the sandbags, grabbing the detonator and arming it, attaching the twist handle in the top.

He peered over the parapet, saw his men crumbling, and with a final exultation twisted the handle.

"Heil Hitler."

Nothing happened. With a frown he tried again, and then again. The gunfire grew louder, the German voices less than Russian ones. With a curse he stood back up and followed the wires back along the wall seeing, to his horror, a break six feet away from him. He had to act

With a snarl he leapt from his refuge, rifle held firmly while the detonator dangled at his waist. Bullets whizzed and buzzed past his ears, Russian voices shouted at him but he kept moving, running faster than he had before. A handful of SS Soldiers supported him, dropping one or two at a time as they offered what cover they could, even so far as using their bodies to shield him from bullets.

He threw himself down at the broken wire, one of his men thumping down beside him with a neat hole through his steel helmet, the camouflage cover smoking slightly from the heat of the passing bullet. Voss grunted, dragging up the detonator and working feverishly to attach the wires. He felt a sharp blow and numbness to his back, then another and another. He didn't stop, even as he began to lose feeling he didn't stop.

The last German fell beside him and finally, at last he wired the detonator and grabbed the handle.

A boot came down heavily, stamping on his hand and pinning it to the detonator, preventing it from moving. He exerted his last strength to try and finish the job, but he could not, he had failed. But, with a final smile he knew the Russians would never find Thule, even if they activated the gate it as a needle in a field of haystacks. The Reich had won, and the Fuhrer would take his revenge on his enemies.

Necheyev lifted up his boot, picking up the detonator and pulling free the wires.

"Captain, remove the explosives, carefully."

"Yes Major."

"Third Company, secure the entrance to the tunnel. Try to get Army command on the radio, inform them we have discovered a Fascist secret facility."

"Yes Comrade Major. What sort of facility?"

Necheyev shook his head. "I don't know."

He walked away from the body of the German officer and looked at the dark ring at the end of the tunnel, a pedestal before it made of the same material adorned in symbols he did not recognise. Despite his education and a reasonable grasp of the sciences this device was completely new to him, and the blue pond it had seemed to contain when active only deepened the mystery.

"What is this thing Major?" His Captain asked. "Did we really see people go through it?"

"We did." Necheyev nodded. "Go where I wonder?"

He walked up and touched it, feeling a slight warmth from the unknown material. There was something about it that caught his imagination, even after all he had been through in this horrible war it still brought out an almost childlike curiosity.

The war in Europe was wheezing to a final end, but there was another front now, an unexpected series of battle fields ahead before the blood spilled on Russian soil could be paid for.

Whatever this device was, whatever it had been, it was now the property of the Soviet Union.


	2. Chapter 2

1980

35 years later

Siberia

The journey to this part of Soviet territory had been incredibly uncomfortable, a lengthy hardship Konstantin Danyev had been forced to endure with no reason given. It had taken him three days to travel from KGB headquarters in Moscow out to this frightful place, using trains, planes and finally a helicopter which had managed to shake his bones more thoroughly than any device of torture. It had carried him to the middle of nowhere, a tiny landing pad that was completely deserted except for a tracked snowmobile waiting on the thick snow that covered what was probably a road deep underneath.

Danyev was cold, he had been so cold for so long he had forgotten what warm felt like. The helicopter had minimal internal heating that was symbolic more then anything else, considering the -40 degrees Celsius nominal temperature, never mention the freezing wind that added to the perceived coldness, resulting in his breath icing right before his eyes.

He was wearing the biggest coat he owned, two separate scarves, thick gloves and a thick fur ushanka hat, all in black as befitted his station. Danyev was a Captain in the KGB, the feared and respected secret service of the Soviet Union. There were other agencies of course, other intelligence departments, but the KGB always came first and always received the tasks of greatest responsibility. To serve them was an immense honour, and Danyev had been plucked from the Air Force academy base don his impressive test scores to be trained with the best and brightest in the Motherland. He had considered it a humbling experience to be handpicked like that and he had put in as much effort as he could, almost always performing at the top of his class. He had hoped he would be destined for great things, an assignment to Washington, London or Paris perhaps, maybe the UN. He had dreamed of becoming a great spymaster, the bane of the Capitalists, but somehow, somewhere it had all gone horribly wrong.

He had no idea what he had done to end up out here, only that getting assigned to Siberia was usually an extreme form of punishment for mistakes in the agency. He was still perplexed, more so because his questions had been rebuffed with the same answers.

'Don't ask, just go.'

So he went, and allowed himself a moment of gratitude that there was at least some transportation waiting and he wasn't expected to walk to his new post.

The helicopter touched down, and the crew chief at once cranked open the door with a friendly nod.

"Condolences Comrade." He shrugged. "Hope she was worth it."

It was a common joke that young men like Danyev usually ended up with these kind of postings after dallying with the daughters of senior party officials. Unfortunately he couldn't even claim that satisfaction.

"Keep warm out here." Danyev thanked the man as he stepped onto the icy ground. "Safe flight."

He scuttered away as the blades thrummed in the icy air, picking up the bulbous helicopter and turning it away in a sparkling cloud of kicked up ice crystals. He watched it for a moment, quietly lamenting his predicament, then headed for the vehicle waiting for him. Nothing ever went to waste in Soviet Russia, as he easily recognised the chassis of a T-34 tank, converted to a civilian personnel carrier.

With the turret and armour stripped and replaced by a cabin, large, somewhat comfortable, and foremost warm, they were common enough, often used in the far north, be it by scientists stationed in the Arctic or engineers working where depth of the snow was measured in meters. Many, many meters.

As he approached the rear door opened and a man emerged, tall and broad in a white arctic uniform. The clothing was no mere convenience of temperature either, his build and poise marked him as a professional apparently in his forties with a weathered face and narrow eyes.

"Captain Danyev I presume?"

"That is right, I hope you have not been waiting long?"

"Not long." The man replied. "I am Colonal Ilya Ivanov, and we have places to be."

He went back into the warm inside, Ivanov clambering in beside him and slamming the door shut.

"Alright driver, let's go."

With a crunch of snow the tracks started moving, turning onto the road and leaving the pad behind it.

"Cold one today." Ivanov groaned. "Normally I don't mind cold weather, but you picked a nasty one to arrive on."

"So it's usually warmer than this?"

"Usually, but I doubt an urbanite like yourself would tell until you've been out here a few months." Ivanov smiled. "You get used to it, I hardly notice anymore."

Everywhere was white, wherever Danyev looked it was just plain white as far as the horizon. There was snow and just a few clouds in the amazing pale sky, but it was easily the coldest place he had ever been, and as a native Russian that was saying something.

"I love this place, untouched." The Colonel beamed. "One of the last great wildernesses, no one comes out here."

"Can't say I'm surprised."

"No." Ivanov chuckled a bit. "But that suits us of course, we don't really want visitors. You've seen yourself how hard it is to get out here."

"Very much." Danyev readily agreed.

"We are very self sufficient, we need no external supplies." The Colonel informed. "Our little base out here is a community in itself."

"Self sufficient." Danyev considered. "Where do you grow your food?"

Ivanov barked a laugh. "Ah Captain, you will love the answer to that one!"

As they drove on he began to notice bumps in the flat fields around him, slight curves in the snow.

"Yes they are." Ivanov followed his gaze. "Bunkers, machine gun nests, anti tank sites, and a good deal of surface to air missiles. All linked underground through tunnels."

"Must have been hard work."

"Very, but worth it." Ivanov said. "We'll be coming up on the base shortly, it's at the heart of this network. Everywhere except this road is mined and trapped, stray off the road and you'll be very dead very soon."

The KGB agent nodded, then turned back to the Colonel.

"Colonel Ivanov, if you cannot answer I understand, but why am I here?"

"You are here because you were requested, by name, by the local commander of KGB forces."

"But why? Why me? Why out here?"

"Well that's going to be for her to tell you. My job is just to give you the tour."

"Of the base?"

"Something like that." He grinned. "And speaking of…"

He nodded towards the front of the car, and there ahead was the base. Or more accurately a twenty foot high concrete wall topped with barbed wire and dotted with watch towers and machine gun nests. It was massive, the wall extending hundreds of metres left and right of the wall before angling back to match the perimeter of the facility.

Directly ahead was the gate, a massive riveted steel door more at home in a naval base than out here. It slowly squeaked open running backwards on rail tracks, retracting into the wall.

"Welcome to the Ice Fortress." Ivanov spoke with relish. "The most secret facility on this planet."

The snowmobile passed through not one, but three gates, each equally massive and each part of a solid concrete wall. Danyev was thoroughly impressed by the heavy triple layered defences, and just a little concerned that the defences on the inner wall were facing towards the base rather than away from it.

"I should probably have mentioned this earlier." Ivanov began. "But a job here is a job for life. You may have free time of course, and you'd be surprised at the resorts we have access to, but once you start working here this is your life now and forever. The facility is too secret, no one can leave, no one can return."

Danyev swallowed a little, his nerves beginning to show.

"According to our files you are single with no living relatives. No one to miss you." Ivanov stated.

"Like everyone here Comrade, your life has ended and is just about to begin again."

The vehicle passed down a central street revealing a large but ordinary looking town. There were houses, flats, shops, even bars. He also noted some shops dealt in fresh produce and displayed recently butchered meat in their windows. He was going to ask how that could be when Ivanov drew his attention away.

"This base is home to over seventy thousand people, a mix of soldiers, scientists, a few diplomats and their families. It is the size of a moderately sized town, with all the facilities you would expect. Plus we have a major army base, an airfield with the latest warplanes and a first rate research centre. But all of that is just to support our main project."

"What is that?"

"In time." Ivanov smiled. "Over there we have our nuclear power station, and there our satellite uplink to Moscow. You'll see some radar stations on the far edge of town controlling the local air space. Though they're mostly for the show."

"Why is that?"

"To fool our American friends of course!" He grinned and pointed his finger up. "Spy satellites."

Danyev nodded. "Of course, you can prevent people from walking or driving out here, but there are still satellites."

"We couldn't hide this place from above, far too large." Ivanov nodded. "So we simply dressed it up a little. The Radar dishes make it look like an early warning station, part of our missile detection network. We also have our research station here send up a few rockets now and again, make them think we are using this place to develop the next generation of ICBM's. The Army base and the airfield are here to make them think we're here testing military equipment under extreme conditions."

"But we're not?"

"Not in the way they assume. No, the truth behind this place is far more exciting." Ivanov replied jovially. "If the Americans ever learned the truth they'd have the worlds biggest collective heart attack!"

The KGB agent was more intrigued then ever. Perhaps this wasn't the punishment he had thought it was, though the security and secrecy seemed rather over the top even by KGB standards, and that was telling.

"So nobody ever leaves?"

"Nobody." Ivanov nodded. "One or two try, but they don't last long." The officer shrugged. "Don't think about it, when you see what I have to show you then you'll never want to leave anyway!"

The Colonel was doing an excellent job building up anticipation, though whether it was worth it or whether he was about to feel very deflated wasn't a question Danyev could answer yet.

"Here Captain, you'll want to see this." Ivanov pointed at a small black building the size of a house. It was pitch balck and had no windows or doors.

"What is that?"

"That Captain is a two hundred and fifty megaton bomb."

Danyev's expression was exactly what Ivanov hoped for.

"It's perfectly safe." Ivanov laughed. "Little old of course, dates back to when this base was founded in the early sixties, a sort of final fail safe to make very sure nothing here was used against us and no one could ever take this place intact."  
"Is it still armed?"  
"Oh yes, fully operational." The Colonel nodded. "And don't doubt that if the time came the General would not use it. What we do here is vital, but also very dangerous. We do not take chances."

The left the black obelisk in the distance, Danyev's eyes locked on it as they drove on. That bomb was five times bigger than any other nuclear weapon officially in existence, far too large to ever be moved and probably extremely expensive to maintain. It raised a lot of questions and Danyev found himself ever more eager to finally learn what this place was.  
"Ah, to the front Comrade." Ivanov stated. "We're here."  
Rising up before them at the centre of the facility was an immense concrete building, looking like a cross between a hangar at an airport and a submarine pen. It was huge, hundreds of feet wide with a large steep concertina door recessed into its near side. The roof looked thick enough to stop a carpet bombing mission, gently curving to the ground left and right. It was covered in snow from a previous blizzard and guarded by bunkers and towers.  
"We keep all our operations indoors." Ivanov said. "We can time when the American satellites come over but sometimes they can still surprise us, send up an SR-71 or the occasional RB-70 on a Mach 3 reconnaissance flight. The air force usually intercepts them, but sometimes we allow a mission or two to get through, let them look at this place and see what we want them to see."  
The door cranked open, creating a small gap which was actually more than sufficient for their tracks to pass through. The sheer scale of the building was truly immense, like nothing he had seen before. It was no less grand inside, lit by thousands of lights hanging from the roof and containing dozens of simple buildings, structures and vehicles.  
"This will be your new place of work." Ivanov said. "Driver, this is far enough."  
They slowed to a halt.  
"From here, we walk."

It was almost as cold inside as out, the cavernous interior impossible to heat in any meaningful way so simply left at ambient temperature. Scores of people were crossing the facility in cold weather clothing, some civilian and some military. A utility car passed by with several soldiers crowded in, padded jackets forcing them to squeeze together in the relatively small truck as it crossed from one building to another. One of the first things he noticed was four lines of tanks parked alongside the inner wall, some eighty vehicles in all representing a sizeable military force.

What struck him as odd was that each platoon sported a different camouflage – winter was obvious enough, but what was the deal with woodland and desert of all the things ?

"Part of the Ninth Guards Division." Ivanov informed. "T­-64s, very effective vehicles, lot of time and effort goes into maintaining them. Much better then the T-72's but we expect some T-80's by the next spring. For now though, it's the best tank for the job."

He pointed out another group of vehicles.

"Now those are a bit more special."

Danyev raised an eyebrow. "You mean those BMP-1s?"

"Yes, we use them widely. With the BMP-2s filling the ranks of line units, we've got no shortage of those to tinker with." Ivanov grinned. "But only a few are normal ones, most are homebrew variants, adapted as the situation develops: some are flame thrower equipped, others are self-propelled mortars, or fitted with the Yahushev gatling guns for close range fire support. You see, we don't get to deal with enemy armor much, mainly light infantry with fire support. And we've got the Shilkas for that. For the odd heavy jobs we use either or self-propelled howitzers, they are stationed deeper in. Very, very useful for clearing landing sites before we go on our little trips."

"What little trips Colonel?" The whole situation seemed more and more bizarre by the minute.

"I'm just getting to that."

They walked on past the ranks of military vehicles and around several concrete buildings, their doors marked with names like 'Briefing room' or 'Decontamination' which made increasingly less sense to Danyev. He passed one more named 'Control room' before Ivanov finally brought them to a stop.

"And that Comrade, is why you are here."

Danyev was under whelmed. He had expected to see something exotic with all this security located in the middle of nowhere. Some type of amazing new fighter jet or cutting edge space ship, maybe even a crashed alien vessel. But no, instead all he saw was a large upright sculpture in the shape of a ring. It was quite a let down.

"Colonel, what exactly does that have to do with my job?"

Ivanov checked his watch. "Hmm, Draguv is late as usual."

Whatever the dark ring was it appeared to be well guarded. A ramp led up to it with large articulated metal clamps holding it upright, thick cables running to electrical transformers gently humming in the back ground.

A pair of concrete bunkers fitted with old-fashioned flame throwers and Shipunov gatling machine guns of all the things pointed at the peculiar ring.

Even more out of place was the single Buratino, a 30-barreled Multiple Rocket Launcher on a T-72 chassis, placed as if to shoot straight through the ring, and flanked by two BRDM-2 armored cars, just as the bunkers fitted with a Shipunov gatling gun each, instead of the usual 14,5mm and 7,62mm machine guns.

As pointless as it seemed, all stood silent and unused, as if waiting for something to happen.

"With respect Colonel, I'd like to know the real reason I…"

The ring clanked, suddenly moving into life with no apparent reason. An inner circle slid around within its design triggering orange lights around the edges in sequence. The men bunkered down in front of the gate went on alert, training their large machine guns on the moving ring and waiting patiently.  
"Colonel…"  
"Keep watching, this is the best bit."

The last light came on and from nowhere a blast of blue energy burst from thin air between the ring, like an inverted splash it billowed out and then retracted forming a smooth pool inside the ring like a calm moonlit lake. Danyev had barely registered the event when a man walked out of the pool, completely dry and wearing desert camouflage.

"Gah! I'd forgotten how damn cold this place was!"

Four more armed soldiers in similar uniforms marched out, then another four, and another, and so on until an entire platoon stood in front of him, with the pool then suddenly evaporating behind them.

The gun crews stood down and a couple of other military personnel trotted up and provided heavy coats to the new arrivals.  
"Welcome home Maxim!" Ivanov bellowed, walking forward while Danyev remained rooted to the spot, eyes wide and jaw slack.  
"Ilya, tell me there is something hot in the mess!" The leading soldier answered. "Hopefully that young Lieutenant, Zofia yes?"  
"You've been back on Earth three seconds and already listen to yourself!"  
"Priorities Comrade!" Maxim Draguv laughed. "But it is good to be back, three weeks in that sand bowl is enough for anyone."  
"The General wants a briefing in three hours after you refresh and have a properly cooked meal." Ivanov said. "He'll be chatting to our new agent first."  
Draguv looked over Ivanov's shoulder at Danyev, still gawping. "Vasily's replacement eh?"  
"When he regains the power of speech, yes."  
"Hey new guy, welcome!" Draguv cheered. "I'm sure you'll last much longer than the last KGB guy. That was just a freak event, I'm sure you won't end up like him."  
Ivanov drew his hand over his brow. "Well done Maxim, that'll make him feel really at home."  
"I don't think he heard me, he looks like you did when you walked into the girl's shower room by mistake back in Cuba, you remember?"  
"Good times, even if I did nearly get my eyes scratched out." Ivanov grinned. "Latin women eh?"  
"Good times." Draguv nodded. "Well I need food, we'll catch up this evening my friend, tell me what we've missed."  
"It's going to be a short conversation." Ivanov slapped his friend on the shoulder, then headed back to his new charge.

"It is called a Stargate."

Danyev turned his head, still wide eyed.

"At least that is what the Germans called it, and I suppose the name stuck."

"…What…"

"What is it?" Ivanov interpreted. "A gateway that creates a wormhole in space and time, a bridge to other gates identical to itself on other worlds. You step through at this end, and step out immediately after on another world."

Danyev just shook his head and stared.

"We use that pedestal there to enter a code, with each seven digit code relating to a specific gate. Like a telephone number or letter address. Took us a while to figure out how it worked exactly, we still don't know some of the specifics, but we can travel between worlds across the galaxy. We've been doing it since 1949."

"But that's… thirty one years!"

"I told you it was a big secret." Ivanov beamed. "There is a lot more to tell, but I think it is best left for the General. He will want to brief you in person. Come on."

They entered the nearby building labelled 'Control Room' and at once felt the benefit of heat. These smaller buildings were heated and the staff within wore their basic duty clothes, almost all of them being military personnel. Danyev hung up his winter gear and revealed a plain black suit beneath.

Ivanov did not change, he wasn't staying.

They walked past a bank of consoles manned by a mix of males and females watching information filter through. He recognised them as communication and radar stations, fairly standard for command centres across the nation. Their path took them away from the more busy areas and into a series of offices, with the door at the far end of the building being their destination.  
"Well, here you are." Ivanov nodded. "Good to meet you Comrade Captain, I'm sure we'll speak again later."  
"I just don't know what to say, about any of this." Danyev admitted. "This is just…"  
"My reaction exactly." The Colonel nodded. "You'll fit right in. Good luck with the General."

Ivanov headed off to his other duties leaving Danyev alone at the door. He took a breath to steady his nerve, pushed the incredible new knowledge out of his mind for now and focused on the immediate task at hand. He lifted his chin, clenched his fist and knocked firmly on the wooden door.

"Enter."

Danyev walked into a normal enough room, plainly decorated in beige tones with a wooden desk in the middle. Pictures of tanks lined the wall and a pair of flags stood in either far corner, the familiar red national flag and a dark blue banner he did not recognise, presumably the colours of this secret branch of the military. Behind the desk was a well decorated General, his khaki uniform well decked in gold and his chest heavy in ribbons. He had cropped grey hair and a lined face but still projected an aura of power and efficiency. Most notable of all however were the three gold stars hanging above his board of other decorations.

Those stars were the highest decorations for bravery and inspiration the government could bestow. It was a supreme honour to earn one, to earn two was almost impossible, to own three? Only a handful of men had achieved that, Marshal Zhukov being the most well known. Each medal bore a suitably imposing title, a clear statement of what the symbol represented and what the individual or wore one could claim to be. Hero of the Soviet Union.

"I am Colonel General Viktor Necheyev." The officer spoke with surprisingly quiet tones. "I formally welcome you to Stargate Command, and offer you a drink."

Danyev was a little taken back, lingering a moment before responding. "Thank you Comrade General, and, err, yes, I think a drink is called for right now."

Necheyev flickered a brief smile. "You have seen the gate then?"  
"I have General. I just have to accept what my eyes saw."  
"Please, sit down." He gestured, taking a bottle of clear Vodka from his desk draw and a pair of glasses. "I assure you it is real Captain, as is the responsibility we all have here to protect and manage it."

Danyev took his seat and gratefully accepted the drink, downing it swiftly. He regretted it for a moment, the Vodka was a particularly potent brew, but today he needed a bit of a release.  
"Has Colonel Ivanov explained what it is?"  
Danyev nodded. "He explained General, but I cannot say I understood."  
"Doesn't matter Captain, the important thing is it works." Necheyev took a drink of his own. "There is an interesting story behind it, ready to listen?"  
"Completely General."  
"We found the gate in 1945 as our soldiers stormed Berlin. Actually I found it, my unit was responsible for clearing an underground facility where this thing was held. We didn't know what it was at the time, and when I explained what I had scene no one believed me. Until that is they duplicated the German rig that powered the gate, and started trying out symbols."

He poured more Vodka for Danyev, who happily accepted.

"A lot of them did not work, we knew that it worked through a code of seven symbols but it took a particularly radical thinker to decide exactly how to input them. In 1949 we successfully contacted another world and sent a team through. More amazing still they came back using the same method. Well, after three weeks of trying."

"This is just remarkable Comrade General."

"It is isn't it?" Necheyev nodded. "The project was naturally classified at the highest levels, and as a proven soldier and leader who already knew of the project I was asked to start leading expeditions through this device. Our aim was to explore the worlds this gate led to, and if possible to locate any Fascists who had used it to escape at the end of the Great Patriotic War."

"Where did this gate come from sir?"

"It is alien in origin, brought here by a race of beings far older than us. It is made of a material unknown on this planet, a substance we now know as Naquadah."

"So aliens are real?"

"Very real, we have met many of them." Necheyev informed. "And many humans who had been kidnapped from this world as slaves by an alien power named the Goa'uld."

Danyev had no idea what to say, so just listened.

"At first we thought they were advanced humans, we met them two years after we started travelling by gate. They were immediately hostile and we suffered several early defeats but eventually brought one back for dissection. The truth is these Goa'uld are like small snakes that invade a body, attach themselves to your brain and take control. Like a pilot in a jet fighter. They use us like vehicles and rule over millions, probably billions of our brother humans who are slaves to them, or brainwashed into being mindless soldiers."

Necheyev tautened his jaw a little.

"The leader of the Goa'uld was named Ra, he and his kin took the names of ancient human gods, perhaps were the origins of these myths themselves. He ruled all lesser Goa'uld through fear and when he learned we were using the gate, he sought to invade us and conquer the Earth. He sent his best forces through the gate, seizing our facility and establishing a foot hold. He led legions through in person, landing his ship just outside our original base and bringing tens of thousands of warriors through the gate."  
"Previous base General?"  
"On an island in the arctic circle." Necheyev said. "But he underestimated us, he did not count on the determination of the Soviet People or our willingness to sacrifice. While a division of ground forces attacked Premier Khrushchev sent in our mightiest weapon. Ivan, what the Americans call the Tsar Bomb. Everyone thinks it was a test detonation, but it was no test, it was our final defence before Ra could call in more starships and easily defeat us. He may have claimed to be a god, but even he could not argue with fifty megatons of Soviet power. He died, his unshielded ship was ruined, his army vaporised along with ten thousand Soviet heroes. Their sacrifice kept Earth free."

"What about space ships? You mentioned a fleet?"

"The Goa'uld are feudal in nature. With Ra dead they fractured, broke into smaller kingdoms and began to fight one another for power and territory. They bicker and war over Ra's realm and we are content to let them. We've been watching them squander their resources for decades battling one another, sometimes moving ourselves to make sure the balance does not tip in favour of one or the other. A secret war, but a dangerous one."

"Playing our enemies against each other." Danyev guessed.

"Exactly, until we are ready and strong enough to move ourselves." Necheyev grinned. "And that day is fast approaching. These Goa'uld are the main enemy of our people and we are committed to defeating them, but there are others. One of our longest fights has been with the Fourth Reich, the survivors of Adolf Hitler's elite."

"The Fascists that escaped?"

"Records were scarce, but we knew Hitler had a fascination with ancient relics, an obsession with proving the superiority of his chosen people. It seems this gate was acquired as part of that obsession and used for a year or two in the war. By great luck they never managed to engineer advanced weapons to use against us, but when they fled they quickly established a large power base and have often attacked our teams. They even established a base on the Moon which we had to remove."

"All of this is just remarkable General. I would not have believed it!"

"Good. Very good." Necheyev nodded. "It shows we have done our job well and the secrecy of the project remains intact."

"If I may ask, why keep this secret?"  
"A good question." Necheyev nodded. "It is our belief people are not ready for this. They are not prepared to know what truly lies out there, threats which can end all life on this world overnight. One day they will be, we discretely encourage our scientists and writers to speculate on alien life in space, to promote such ideas amongst the population, but we need more time. For now we play a dangerous game of chess with our enemies, a game we play at a disadvantage. Until we can defend ourselves we cannot speak of this. Never."

"What about the rest of the Warsaw Pact? The UN ? And lastly NATO ? " Danyev asked. "If this is a threat to all the world maybe we should call for a global mobilisation?"

"Would you trust the West Comrade Captain?" Necheyev asked. "Would you trust them to respect Soviet policy regarding the gateway? To not try to import their dishonest capitalism to developing worlds and exploit them? Do you expect them to keep their word and not try to take the gate for themselves? Use it to further their own greed and ambition?"

"With respect General, what are we using the Gate for?"

"We use it to fight the enemies of the Soviet Union." He answered simply. "The aliens and fascists. We liberate worlds, free the working classes of the galaxy from slavery and introduce them to equality of true Communism. Our goal Comrade Captain is to develop a defence for this country, and then this planet so that Mother Earth will never again be exploited by tyrants and elitists."

"We have influence on other worlds?"

"A great many, they aid us in our fight." Necheyev nodded. "Our enemies are the Goa'uld and the Fascists Captain, and we will prevail."

"What about NATO?"

Necheyev barked a laugh. "Forget them! We can shoot down their missiles and bombers the moment they launch! We have the power to level every capitalist city from orbit! But we do not, because we do not start wars Comrade. Our focus is on those who can hurt us, the west cannot so we are content to leave them to their own devices. The Soviet military machine is not built to fight America or Europe Comrade, it is built to fight an alien invasion which I pray never comes. We have prevented an attack succeeding so far by being proactive, and that continues to be our goal."

The General shook his head. "No Comrade, our concern is not here on this world, but out there on hundreds of others. Such diversity Captain, such wonder and majesty. Today we fight for these worlds, they are battle grounds, but tomorrow they will be our paradise, our reward for the blood shed freeing the workers and deposing the feudal lords and the autocrats. The human race belongs out there, it is our destiny, our prize, and we will claim it from those who seek to steal and subvert the children of Earth.

We are Russians Captain, we understand everything must be earned and that this future has its price of blood and tears, everything does. We are unique in understanding that reality Comrade Captain, The Americans did not understand it, nor Europe, only the Fascists seemed to have some comprehension

which is why we were natural enemies."

He sipped his Vodka slowly.

"Many thousands have already died just to maintain our position, to keep the Goa'uld off balance, divided, warring with each other. But very soon Captain we will start attacking. We have gathered our forces, slowly and carefully these past twenty years we have been preparing. We will soon be able to face the Goa'uld directly and in part you can thank the Americans for that."

"What did they do sir?"

"They exist." Necheyev grinned. "The Soviet military is the mightiest on this world, quite possibly the best on any world. But it costs money and resources, to maintain such a force and develop new weapons is not cheap. We cannot justify this cost by announcing the truth to the nation, they are not ready, so we need another excuse, another powerful enemy to array our forces against. Fate has given us NATO."

"Meaning we can keep our forces prepared for full scale war at all times."

"Exactly." Necheyev confirmed. "Another reason why we have not simply rolled over the West, they serve as a useful distraction for our people, a believable excuse for the massive budget allocated to our defence. Of course, it suits their purposes too. Their military-industrial complex would bankrupt without the perceived threat of our tanks rolling over the Western Europe."

"Do you still not believe we should tell NATO General, even if just privately?" Danyev frowned.

"With our combined resources we can do more that us working alone."

"It is not an issue Captain, the decision has been made at the highest level." Necheyev said. "This is our responsibility, we have taken the risks, paid the price, and we will receive our reward."

The General shrugged slightly.

"I do not mean ill will to the West, I believe they are misguided, decadent and corrupt, blind to their own plight and unable to realise they are being exploited by the Capitalist machine. It would give me great pleasure to liberate them from oppression, to free the chained masses and encourage the workers to seize power for themselves as we did. But it will always be their choice Captain, we can try to influence them, show them what they are missing out on, but we should not interfere. In time when we win the war and reveal our true power then people in the west will see Capitalism has failed and only through a true Communist Utopia can humanity truly reach the stars. That Captain is my firmest belief and my greatest dream."

"A worthy vision Comrade General."

"I hope so. But right now it is more important we help our brothers and sisters under the Goa'uld. They are suffering more than the workers of the west and deserve our help first. We begun this war to defend ourselves, liberating those few small worlds we could. Now though Captain you join us at a time when we will go on the offensive. It is an exciting time, a moment when we begin to reach out for our rightful destiny."

Necheyev stood, prompting Danyev to do the same.

"Once again I welcome you Comrade Danyev, welcome to the front line of the Soviet Union."  
He stretched out his hand which Danyev shook firmly, the General maintaining a strong grip.  
"I will not fail General, I am ready to serve Mother Russia."  
"Good, very good." Necheyev nodded sharply in approval. "The future begins now."


	3. Chapter 3

2

Siberian Stargate Facility

Danyev didn't often resort to the dramatic, pragmatism was more his field, but even he had to admit with no overstatement that he was a changed man, that in the matter of just a few minutes every aspect of his life had changed. He hadn't expected it or gone looking for such a shift in perspective, but now it had happened he couldn't help but feel glad. Looked for or not part of him had wanted something like this, some massive jolt to lift him out of the normal world and into something spectacular. It was beyond his wildest dreams, yet something he longed for. Best of all it had found him.

He closed the door to General Necheyev's office barely containing his delight. The shock was gone and the responsibility had yet to set in, rather it was now euphoria that ruled him and Danyev savoured it. This was an adventure, a chance to do something future generations would look back on and remember. He was a pioneer, and while he didn't know exactly what he was going to be doing he knew even menial jobs had great importance in this scheme.

It was a long four seconds before he noticed he wasn't alone. Standing before him was a uniformed woman, simple forage cap balanced on her tied up blond hair and an unimpressed expression worn on her face. Most notable though were her eyes, a shade of blue so pale in looked like an icy morning.

"Captain?" She enquired.

"Yes, yes Captain Danyev." He picked himself up, trying to look somewhat more professional.

"Lieutenant Anna Necheyeva." She introduced. "And yes, I am related."

"To the General?" Danyev caught the name.

"My Father." She nodded. "If you will follow me we have prepared your quarters." She turned on her heel. "Anytime Comrade."

With no further delay he set off, falling into pace beside the cool looking female. While quite plain her uniform was immaculate and her posture perfect, a fine example of an officer who took pride in her role.

"If I may ask, what is your role on this base Lieutenant?"

"You may ask Comrade Captain, you are a superior officer and an officer of the KGB."

He waited a moment, realising that he did have to actually make it a direct question. He had a definitely feel she was toying with him. Oddly he didn't mind one bit.

"What is your role on this base Lieutenant?"

"I am the gatekeeper." She said with clear pride.

"And what does that involve?"

"I monitor gate activity, schedule activations, change the angle of the gate on its rig as needed, and secure it in case of hostile activation."

"You mean in case an alien tries to walk through here?"

"Correct Captain, the gate is a two way device." She replied. "We cannot prevent them linking to us, but we can prevent them surviving the process."

"How do you manage that?"

"That Comrade I will answer a little later, for now I must show you your room."

They walked across the control room again, Danyev taking back his coat and accoutrements before walking out into the covered facility, Necheyeva not bothering to change her duty uniform.

"Are you not cold Lieutenant?"

"You get used to it." She smiled a little. "And the dormitory is just here, a short walk."

She walked calmly across to another bland grey single level building with tiny slit windows high on the walls and a heavy door at the entrance.

"All these buildings can serve as bunkers or pill boxes." She stated casually. "Just in case we ever have a foot hold situation, that is an alien force breaching the gate."

"Like Ra?"

"Yes." She agreed. "Of course if things go wrong we have Ivan."

"Who's Ivan?"

"The big black cube you passed on the way in." She grinned. "Two hundred and fifty megatons of us having the last word."

He glanced at the gate as he walked across to his new home.

"So that thing survived having a nuclear bomb detonate on top of it?"

"So I am told." Anna nodded. "Though it took ten months to find it again combing through the debris. Quite a surprise for the recovery team."

"So this Naquadah is tough stuff?"

"Gate grade stuff is yes, but we haven't been able to refine any material to that quality yet." She answered. "Though we have discovered a few interesting uses for less refined material. The gate could survive a nuke, yet when we tried to repeat the test with lower grade Naquadah… well the results were rather explosive."

"How explosive?"

"In enhanced the explosion, fed the bomb and massively increased its yield. The observers were lucky to survive. Make no mistake Captain, every aspect of this job is dangerous and holds surprises both pleasant and grim. Even routine work can swiftly turn deadly."

"No such thing as a normal day then?"

She turned and gave him a smile. "Well put Comrade Captain. Step inside."

It was surprise the dormitory doubled as a bunker. Its walls were thick and corridors narrow with ten sets of doors on either side providing accommodation for the inhabitants. Only the most essential staff, those directly involved with gate operations on an intensive basis were assigned rooms within the facility, most support staff lived outside in a facsimile of normal life.

"Here is your room." She opened the third door on the right. "Everything you need is already in there, spare clothes, stocked fridge and cupboards, access to the town entertainment channels. Take a little while to settle in."

It reminded him a lot of a hotel room, not a bad one and quite spacious with cooking facilities, a table to eat at and a writing desk. The couch was the type that unfolded into a bed and his wardrobes were set into the wall. All things considered it was better than he had expected and not much of a step down from his old apartment in central Moscow.

"You'll find a mix of casual clothes and duty uniforms in your wardrobe." Anna listed. "If you don't feel like cooking the mess hall serves food regularly to the off duty staff." She raised a mischievous eyebrow. "You can cook can't you Captain?"

"When I have to." He replied carefully.

"There's also a fire extinguisher next to the cooker, just in case your skills are a little…rusty." Anna beamed.

"Very thoughtful Lieutenant." Danyev winked back.

"Off duty you can explore the town, you may requisition a car fom the motor pool, take a drive, see the sights."

"Such as they are." Danyev shrugged. "Pretty small place."

"You are used to Moscow Comrade, but it is not so bad." Anna returned. "We have a theatre with its own orchestra. We have a cinema, a few restaurants, a fair selection of shops and our own TV station. It is a good place to live."

"How long have you been here?"

"All my life." She answered. "Well, as long as I remember. I was five when my Father was stationed here, and it is all I know."

"I am sorry to hear that."

"No Comrade, don't be sorry." She answered genuinely. "I had a good school, many friends my own age, and now I have a very important job. One I have earned I might add, not simply because of my family connections."

"I do not doubt it Lieutenant." Danyev quickly responded. "I just meant there is so much you haven't seen beyond these walls."

"And so much I have seen that no one outside these walls ever has, perhaps never will." Anna tilted her head. "it is a different world and a different life, but as you will see it leaves little time for dwelling on regrets. It is far too exciting."

So tossed him the keys to the front door.

"Relax a while Comrade, you have four hours until you head out through the gate."

"I will, see what can be…" He paused mid thought, his brain finally clicking. "…What did you say?"

"Colonel Ivanov will be around to pick you up, wear something temperate." She backed out wearing a huge grin. "I'll be ready to open the gate for you Comrade Captain. Four hours."

The time did not go swiftly, Konstantin Danyev, Captain of the KGB, was altogether quite unsure of himself. He was expecting a staged buildup, gradually learning more and more about the workings of the base and the programme before finally leaving Earth. Instead he was about to be thrown in at the deep end and he had absolutely no idea what to expect. Apprehension and fear mixed with intense curiosity and excitement. He dearly wanted to travel through the gate and sample the mysteries beyond, he just wasn't sure he wanted to do it five hours after learning about the damn thing in the first place.

While the gate and the staggering information he learned was naturally present in his mind, he also found his brain devoting a hefty amount of time to Anna Necheyeva which was a distraction he really didn't need right now. Granted she was young and knock out pretty, and she certainly seemed to have a fun side to her personality, but she was also the child of a three time Hero of the Soviet Union, a man who looked like he ate young officers like Danyev for starters before moving onto a main course of broken glass and rusty nails.

Like the gate he thought of her with much the same mix of excitement and fear, which was starting to become a trademark of this place. In the end though he had to put aside his concerns and find some suitable attire, finding the clothes in the wardrobe a perfect fit no doubt thanks to his personal details being transmitted to the base command staff. He dressed in plain military fatigues and waited counting the minutes until that appointed hour arrived. The first knock on the door sounded the instant the small clock on his desk struck the hour.

Danyev opened the door, hoping he looked a lot more composed than he felt, finding Ivanov's broad frame draped in green camouflage waiting for him.

"So you are still here? Good, we were taking bets on whether or not you would just run in the vague direction of Moscow."

"I'm touched."

"You will be glad to know I put ten roubles on you staying. So thank you."

"That much?" Danyev broke a smile. "I commend you on your faith in me Comrade Colonel."

"You are welcome." Ivanov laughed. "So, ready?"

"More or less."

"That is good enough." The officer confirmed. "Come this way, we're going to walk fifty billion miles in about five seconds."

They swiftly walked out of the dormitory, Danyev attempting to match the Colonel's confident stride.

"Little nervous?" He asked back.

Danyev exhaled. "So obvious?"

"It's only to be expected, this is something entirely untried." Ivanov offered supportively. "I can tell you it is the safest way to travel. Little disorientating but you'll get used to it."

They returned to the hazily lit facility, the expansive concrete roof crossed with supports and conduits. Before them the gate itself held upright on two fixed cranes embedded into the ground, draped with wires.

"Where are we going Colonel?"

"Just a short hop to our main listening post, then a little skip to an uninhabited, before a jump back home. Just an hour or two and you need do nothing. This is just to show you what we do, call it a pleasure trip."

Danyev wasn't sure he'd have picked those exact words.

"We have several bases off world, each with different roles." Ivanov stated. "Some purely military, some commercial, some diplomatic."

"We have diplomatic relations with alien races?"

"Quite a few." Ivanov nodded. "Some are quite advanced, a lot of your work will involve…"

He was interrupted by a siren coupled with a grinding noise from the gate.

"Alert, unscheduled activation, alert!"

He recognised Anna's voice over the speakers, prompting the score of soldiers around the dark metal ring to drop what they were doing and assume a defensive posture.

"What is that?" Danyev asked. "Someone coming through?"

"Yes, someone not on the timetable." Ivanov grunted. "Either one of our off world teams in trouble or an alien power. Either way it's usually trouble."

"Clear the gate!" The speakers called again. "Initiating lock down!"

A pair of soldiers quickly ran up and grabbed the metal ramp leading up to the spinning device, grabbing a corner each and dragging it aside. As the did so the two cranes holding the gate tilted forwards, rotating the large alien construct so it faced the ground. Then they simply lowered it to the floor, pushing it flat into an area of crisp sand the gate had been resting above.

"I can see you are going to ask." Ivanov began. "We found out that if you put something in front of the gate, directly in front of it I mean, nothing can come through."

"Like shutting a door?" Danyev asked. "They get trapped on the other side?"

"Sort of." Ivanov confirmed. "Only these connections are one way, they can't go back the way they came and they can't step out on this side."

"Where do they go?"

Ivanov shrugged. "I don't know, lost between worlds forever."

Danyev looked at the gate, the familiar puddle forming but the explosion of energy outwards negated by the ground. The concept frightened him, sounding a lot like limbo.

"What if they are our own people?"

"Then we should be receiving a message anytime now." Ivanov said. "Radio signals can pass through, and so can radiation which is a slight concern."

"Code confirmed. Friendly team inbound." Anna announced. "Standby for contact!"

"That means they're in trouble." Ivanov grimaced. "Defence teams, guns ready! Dimitry, bring Sasha over here!"

One of the T34's with the name 'Sasha' stencilled on the turret revved up in a cloud of black smoke, Ivanov darting forward to observe the preparations. A pair of Dushka heavy machine guns were noisily cocked behind sand bag bunkers as the ring was stood up and the ramp hastily replaced.

"Watch your fire, look for our boys!" Ivanov warned.

As Danyev moved cautiously closer, well aware he was unarmed, the gate suddenly rippled as a bolt of light tore through, soaring across the distance and impacting against the control rooms armoured front. He involuntarily ducked as several more followed it, realising that he was looking at some sort of alien gunfire.

"Steady!" Ivanov reminded. "Wait for the order."

Two men suddenly arrived, both in white combat gear for arctic operations. One was carrying the other on his shoulders, the wounded comrade's white uniform slicked red with blood. At once two of the defence squad ran forward and helped them, pulling the exhausted arrivals away and out of the line of fire. A third man backed through, his rifle smoking as he staggered backwards and then quickly turned and ran.

"Close it! Close it!"

Before anything else could happen two more figures arrived, figures that definitely were not Russian soldiers. They wore chain mail with scaled metal breast plates and greaves covering their shins. In their hands they held long staff weapons with glowing gold tips and upon their foreheads bore tattoos. They appeared human, but even though he had never seen them before Danyev knew they were not of this Earth. He glimpsed them only for a second before the heavy machine guns stuttered to life.

The armour was no match for heavy calibre bullets and both warriors dropped like stones, splashes of blood disappearing as they touched the glowing portal behind. Five more soldiers made it through before the power was cut, each of them running straight into the crossfire from the pair of guns thumping bullets from cover. The final warrior toppled back as the gate closed, the top half of his body vanishing entirely leaving just his lower torso and legs on the ramp which twitched for a moment. Danyev turned away and fought hard not to bring his breakfast back for a second viewing.

"Clear!" Ivanova barked. "Maintenance team, clear these bodies! And bring a bucket and mop!"

The Colonel stepped out of cover, several of the nearby troops overtaking him and rushing up the ramp, prodding the bodies to make sure they were dead. After receiving a point blank barrage from the .50 calibre weapons there was little doubt, but they always had to check. Ivanov made for the last man through the gate who offered a crisp salute.

"Stand easy Major, what happened?"

"We found the enemy target sir, it arrived before we could establish ourselves and they caught us out in the open."

"How many would you say?"

"Over a thousand Jaffa."

Ivanov nodded. "What about the primary target?"

"We confirmed it Colonel." The Major stated. "Both primary and secondary targets are there and will be for at least five days."

"Time enough." Ivanov nodded. "Mikhail?"

"No sir." The Major shook his head. "Not this time."

"You followed protocol?"

"I did, they will not be able to revive his body."

He nodded grimly. "Not an easy task, my condolences Major. He was a good operator."

"His sacrifice will not be in vain, the mission is within our grasp."

"General Konev will be eager to here that. He is in a meeting with General Necheyev, I expect he is waiting for you."

"Then I will go."

He looked across at his wounded team mate, currently being whisked away on a stretcher to the medical facility.

"He'll be fine." Ivanov assured. "Make your report."

He straightened. "At once sir."

"And don't worry Sergei, we'll make sure those snakes pay for Mikhail."

Ivanov turned back too the gate as the clean up crew drabbed away the armoured bodies, catching Danyev from the corner of his eye.

"The enemy Comrade Captain." He announced. "Jaffa Warriors, foot soldiers of the Goa'uld."

"Do they all look like that?" He asked hesitantly.

"The armour? Yes." Ivanov confirmed. "But you saw they had energy weapons too. Pack quite a punch, our body armour can't stop them. Course they can't hit Tsar Bell from three feet away."

They watched one of the bodies being carried past.

"They are fanatical, believe the Goa'uld are their gods." Ivanov said. "Good warriors, poor soldiers. In large numbers or in hand to hand they are a threat. But in a real battle, they are tank fodder. Hey, come look at this."

He paused by the severed lower torso of the last jaffa, Danyev keeping his distance.

"Closer, look."

Danyev leaned in a bit more as Ivanov grabbed something from the disgusting mess the gate and left behind. He detached himself from the gruesome scene as the Colonel picked something soft from the remains and held it up. His revulsion was quickly replaced.

"Bloody…"

"This Captain is a Goa'uld, this little snake thing." He wiggled the dead creature. "This is a little one, they use the Jaffa as walking incubators until they grow up. Then they take a host, grapple onto your brain and fly you like a MIG."

"That is what the General said." Danyev nodded. "Like parasites."

"Exactly, but very long lived thanks to their technology." The Colonel nodded. "The main lords are thousands of years old, very cunning and dangerous foes. This, Comrade, is their true face."

He dropped the symbiot and crushed it under his boot.

"Just to be sure it's dead." He said. "Never turn your back on one, you can kill the carrier but the snake may survive, and then make you its next home."

"And these little things rule the galaxy?"

"Well a big chunk of it using humans kept in ignorance to do it. Compared to us they are pretty rare, but control their populations very effectively, very brutally. Even Stalin could have learned something from these creatures."

"Attention." Anna's voice called out again on loudspeakers. "Scheduled departure underway."

"That's us." Ivanov smiled. "Back on the clock eh?"

he spotted two armed men heading for the gate, one holding an extra set of weapons. He beckoned them over.

"Here Dmitry, right on time."

Danyev stepped aside, allowing the final remains to be hauled away and a bucket of water poured down to wash away the clumpy red coating left behind. He didn't dwell on it.

"We shouldn't need weapons." Ivanov announced, strapping on combat webbing and taking his rifle from the two junior soldiers. "But you never know. We'll get you a side arm when we get back."

Danyev didn't argue, his mind hadn't reached the possibility of getting blown to atoms by alien ray guns yet, it was still concerned with getting dissected by a gate shutting when he was only halfway through.

"How long do they stay open for Colonel?"

"Up to thirty eight minutes." He answered. "They are pretty smart, they don't close until everyone nearby is through. Quite safe."

"Unless we pull the plug ourselves." He mused.

"Yes." Ivanov answered. "And you don't want to back into one, as I said it is only one way travel. We don't know exactly what happens, but you wouldn't survive it."

"No offense Colonel but this is looking more and more dangerous."

"Well who wants to be totally safe?" Ivanov chuckled. "Oh, and don't stand to close when it activates. That big blast of energy? Just erases whatever it touches. I saw someone stand too close once, all we found were his boots and a could of smoking ankles."

"Important safety tip, thank you Colonel."

"Just here to educate and inform." Ivanov laughed.

The gate began to turn, each light activating in sequence as he had seen before, but this time it was activating for him. His tension rose with each passing light, the ease of his comrades not helping.

"The Lieutenant is activating it remotely." Ivanov offered a commentary. "But if we wanted we could use the pedestal over there, same effect."

With a final lock the gate exploded once more, appearing no different to the incoming vortex. He was immensely scared, but couldn't just stand there, not with dozens of soldiers staring at him.

"Go ahead Captain." Ivanov nodded. "One small step for man…"

The KGB officer moved onto the ramp, his mouth dry, his eyes stinging, his heart racing like speeding locomotive. Each step brought it nearer, the event horizon liquid yet seemingly impenetrable. He waited for just a heartbeat on the brink of the aperture, steeling his nerves before closing his eyes, holding his breath, and jumping.

The result was not like jumping into a swimming pool as he expected. Instead he was catapulted through a crescendo of light and reality, a whirling winding tunnel that he barely comprehended, his consciousness refusing hands down to believe any of this. The sensory feast was over before he could savour it and he emerged into sunlight, stumbling as his knees gave way in utter shock. He found himself bent double, panting and chilled to the bone.

"I remember my first time." Ivanov stood beside him utterly casual. "it was disorientating, but we walked right out into a battle with Fascists so we didn't have time to really think about it. I've come to appreciate it since."

He patted Danyev on the back and walked past.

"Take a minute then follow me."

Danyev was on a different world. It was incredible but true. At first it didn't look or feel any different, the area around him was a huge plain covered in tall grass stretching to the horizon with few irregularities. Beside the gate which was identical to the one in Siberia the only structures were half a dozen metal huts topped by tall lattice masts and a handful of dormant jeeps. He gradually noted one or two differences, mainly the richness of the air, before straightening back up and walking to join Ivanov who was sending his two men to a small hut to the right of the compound.

"I'm feeling better." Danyev reported. "Quite an experience."

"Never gets dull." Ivanov replied happily. "This is a genuine alien planet, one of our first discoveries."

"And we have a base here." He noted the Soviet flag flying from a pole, a normal sight but suddenly meaning more than he could put into words.

"A listening post." Ivanov said. "It's quite small but functional, you should see our naval base! Makes Minsk look like a boating lake!"

"We have a naval base?"

"Yes, and ships to park in it. Space ships." The Colonel informed joyously. "Vessels acquired from various sources including five captured Goa'uld motherships. Amazing sight, I will show you one day but first we have a job to do."

The two of them headed for the nearest building and stepped in, revealing several technicians busily monitoring a row of consoles. One of the supervisors rose and offered a salute.

"Welcome back Colonel."

"Thank you Commander, you have the recordings?"

The resident officer handed over a clear sleeve containing a sliver circular disc.

"A compact disc." Ivabov said. "A CD we call them, we borrowed the design from the Japanese. Couple of years everyone will have them." He popped it in his pocket. "Very handy."

Danyev took a look around, recognising most of the equipment as eaves dropping technology. He'd seen plenty of sets like it while training with the KGB and being instructed on intercepting and decrypting enemy radio signals. The set up seemed familiar but with a few additions.

"What are we listening for exactly?"

"Goa'uld transmissions." The Colonel answered. "Turns out they never really heard of encryption, at least not on the scale we use it."

"That's right." The base Commander said. "Our operatives can read them like an open book, though must high level data travels by courier. Hand to hand."

"So we're looking at less vital information." Danyev mused. "Like supply requests? Personnel deployments? Replacements?"

"That sort of thing. Seems unimportant to the Goa'uld but it lets us work out where their strength is. We know all their worlds, we can locate their main industry and strategic targets, we can see where their fleet is."

"They use radio?"

"Subspace radio." The Commander said. "Subspace is a different dimension, it allows signals or ships for that matter to exceed light speed. We're not sure of the physics, but we can largely duplicate the effects and build our own transmitters and receivers."

"And our own ships?"

"Maybe." Ivanov said. "That information is classified way beyond the likes of us."

"Amazing." Danyev grinned in wonder.

"We've learned a lot about the Goa'uld and their current situation." The Commander continued. "There are four main factions that each formed from the break up of Ra's empire. They are all fairly well matched and have been in a sort of cold war for the last twenty years or so. Sometimes they have skirmishes, nothing major though."

"We're going to heat it up a little." Ivanov winked. "Then see what gets knocked down."

"Beside the four main lords are dozens of smaller lords, each with a moderate fleet if at all and usually allied to the nearest major power."

"From fear rather than loyalty." Ivanov added.

"Who are these main lords then?" Danyev wondered. "They pretended to be gods didn't they?"

"That's right, the old ones from ancient myth." Ivanov confirmed. "Right now the big ones are Apophis, Yu, Heru'r and Sokar. They are the most powerful beings in the galaxy with dozens of major worlds, hundreds of smaller settlements and potentially thousands of ships between them."

Danyev shook his head a little. "Steep odds for us."

"Only if we take them head on." The Commander answered. "If they beat each other into the ground and waste those forces on civil wars…"

"Divide and conquer." The KGB agent picked up. "Oldest rule in the book."

"We have a few allies too." Ivanov stated. "Hebridia, Langara, several smaller industrial worlds. We don't see eye to eye on many things but we all agree the Goa'uld are the greatest threat to confront."

"And the Tok'ra." Added the base Commander.

"Oh yeah, them too." Ivanov rolled his eyes. ""They're annoying to deal with. Not quite as bad as the Tollan but almost."

"Who are these people?"

"Ah, in time Captain, it takes a lot of explaining." Ivanov shrugged. "Especially the Tok'ra, and we still have a lot to do."

"You're other package is waiting." The commander said. "You'll want this."

He handed over a key on a long chain.

"Thank you Commander, we'll bring your truck back before heading to Earth."

"Appreciated Colonel, we'll have another CD of intercepts next week ready at the same time."

"Keep up the good work, we'll be back in a few minutes."

Ivanova turned, gesturing for Danyev to follow him. "Another stop yet."

The young man fell into step beside him. "So we are reverse engineering alien technology? These subspace things?"

"We are, slowly and carefully." The Colonel nodded. "We don't want these things to blow up in our faces."

"Like the Naquadah experiment?"

"Yes, exactly like that. Anna tell you?"

Danyev nodded. "We've stolen a lot of technology then?"

"Quite a bit. My favourite device is a Sarcophagus. That is a pretty piece of science, very dangerous though if used incorrectly."

"Why is everything about this job also dangerous if it's done wrong?"

"Sorts out the gene pool." Ivanov replied simply.

"What do these things do?"

"Very clever actually. They are healing devices. Damn good ones, can resore virtually any disease or wound. They can even bring you back to life if you use one quickly enough."

"Wow." Danyev appreciated.

"It is how the Goa'uld live so long." The Colonel answered. "And why we have to be careful on missions. All teams carry thermite grenades, intense burning incendiaries. If a man goes down you put the grenade on his head and pull the pin."

Danyev winced at the thought. "That can't be pretty."

"The idea is to destroy the brain. If we didn't the Goa'uld could take the body, revive the soldier and torture him for information. Maybe even give him a snake in his head and learn all he knows that way."

"They can do that?"

"They can." Ivanov confirmed. "of course so can we, when you meet your KGB superior you'll see that."

"We have a sarcophagus back home?"

"Yes, definitely. One of the first things we took. Stalin claimed it personally and demanded he be put in it to prolong his life. We believe it used to be Hitler's own device."

"But Stalin is dead… isn't he?"

"He is." Ivanov agreed. "When he died for real nobody bothered putting him in it. Thank heaven."

"He kept his secrets well."

"They all did." Ivanov agreed. "Unfortunately these things do have a side effect, at least on humans. They cause psychosis."

"They drive you mad?"

"Exactly. Call it the price of immortality."

Danyev ran the information through his mind, reconciling what he knew of the official history with this new revelation.

"Is that why Stalin turned into a monster?"

"Oh he was always like that." Ivanov chuckled. "But it did make him worse towards the end of his life."

"If Hitler used it first that would explain him too, how he grew more and more paranoid and irrational as the war went on." The KGB man pieced together the puzzle. "Of course losing to us wouldn't have helped."

"I expect not." Ivanov led them between the buildings. "A lot of the stolen technology was hoarded by the old NKVD, Beria's thugs. Seemed pretty obvious to everyone Beria was lining himself up to be the Boss when Stalin fell, most people think Beria offed Stalin in person first chance he got."

"I heard rumours about that in the academy." Danyev nodded.

"Probably true." The Colonel answered. "Beria talked a good game, tried to look like a moderate but anyone who saw the NKVD operating knew damn well the kind of man he was. He was a lot more subtle than Stalin, but just as ruthless and just as murderous to his enemies. On top of that he had his own private army in the NKVD and he was sat on a cache of advanced alien technology. If he established himself we would never get rid of him."

"So Khrushchev moved first."

"And good thing he did. He gathered a group of loyal followers and cornered Beria. General Necheyev tells the story better than I do, back then he had my job commanding day to day operations through the gate. He was one of the first you know, answering directly to Marshal Zhukov. Anyway Khrushchev used the SGC to create a strike team armed with their own recovered alien technology in case Beria resisted."

"Isn't the official story that he went quietly?"

"Officially, yes." Ivanov nodded. "According to the General it was a bitter fight, but they got him in the end. Story goes that they sealed him in his own Sarcophagus but not before dousing him in petrol and throwing in a match. He burned for ten years, his body regenerating even as it charred, never letting him die."

"That's impossible, they'd have to keep topping up the petrol, and they'd need an air supply."

Ivanova glanced at him. "Do I look like a scientist? I'm sure they figured out a way, the people who run those projects are very inventive."

"Of course Colonel."

"The inside is pretty blackened." Ivanov shrugged. "Who knows eh? But I'd have given anything to be part of the team that fought him. Imagine Georgi Zhukov kicking down your door in person and yelling at the top of his lungs 'In the name of the Soviet People you are under arrest you son of a bitch!' gun in hand surrounded by our pioneer SG teams. Great moment."

They stopped outside a small building, the same one Ivanov's two associates had entered earlier.

"We don't use it much, it's safe to use once or twice in emergencies, but no more. The KGB keep it now, use it to help with interrogations. I don't know how, I don't want to know how, but I can guess."

Danyev winced as his mind played through a couple of scenarios too.

"Dmitry!" Ivanov banged on the door. "Time to go, ready?"

The door opened. "All ready sir."

The two soldiers wheeled out a four wheel trolley similar to those on air bases utilised for transporting bombs from the armouries to the various bombers. Resting on it was a box some four feet long and apparently quite heavy. It was plain green with no markings and similar to any number of metal packing crates you would expect to see on a military base.

"Load it on a truck." He ordered. "Come along Captain, time for another ride."

The two soldiers opened the tailgate on a nearby half ton truck and cranked up the trolley, the scissor lift built into the contraption raising the box up to the level of the vehicle and allowing it to be slid in, the rear suspension creaking and dipping a little under the weight. They then dropped the trolley back to its normal height, placed it in the truck and hopped on themselves.

"Here's another new experience for you." Ivanov settled into the driving seat and keyed the ignition, the diesel engine chugging to life.

"We're driving through the gate?" Danyev settled in beside him, not thrilled at the idea.

"Same as walking, but with less effort." The Colonel informed, releasing the clutch and rolling forwards, making for the ring and the stone ramp it was set upon. "You can send anything through the gate, literally anything. Interestingly though it forms a barrier against natural environments. It doesn't let air come through, or even water."

"Clever design feature."

"Very." Ivanov agreed. "Annoying though, we tried to activate a gate under water once, our plan was to establish a connection to a fascist underground base and just flood it. You imagine the water pressure at ten thousand feet below the surface focused through a hole as small as the gate, it would have been fantastic. I've never been more disappointed." He paused the truck at the dialling pedestal. "Dmitry, lock us in."

The soldier dropped over the side and began activating the gate.

"Yes, real pity." Ivanov sighed. "In the end we just dropped it in a volcano, it lasted long enough for molten magma to pour through and do much the same job. Probably worked out better in the end."

"I doubt they were expecting that."

"Would have been nice to see their faces." The Colonel grinned.

With the growingly familiar whoosh Danyev watched the gate establish a connection, the water like effect glimmering, its surface ripples undulating slightly as a breeze played across the gateway.

"Where are going Colonel?"

"Just an uninhabited world, quite pleasant." He released the brake as Dmitry clambered back on board. "Lots of pine trees."

"Pine trees? Actual Pine trees?"

"Don't ask." Ivanov grunted in annoyance. "It hurts my mind to think about how that happened."

The truck banked up the ramp heading for the gate, Danyev forcible calming himself as it grew nearer.

"What's in the back anyway Colonel?" he tilted his head at the box.

"That? It's a fifty gigaton nuke."

"Oh." Danyev said before the implications hit him, his eyes widening in fear. "Oh Sh-"

Once again he was lost for a moment, disorientated and weightless, falling but with no sense of movement until the cold and gravity returned, binding him back to flesh and bone.

"…it! Is that safe?"

"Perfectly safe, see, here we are." Ivanov waved. "You need to relax more Comrade Captain, at least half the time I know what I'm doing."

They rolled down another stone ramp and halted, clearly on another world. Here the sun had just set, a slight red haze on the horizon casting long faint shadows and tingeing the world in rich dark contrasts. It was a truly beautiful sight, but one Danyev was too wound up to truly appreciate.

"We have bombs that powerful? How did that happen?"

"Remember that Naquadah stuff? How it enhanced the power of nuclear weapons?" Ivanov gestured at the bomb. "Now you know by how much."

"But that's insane! You could wipe out a whole country with that!"

"So the theory goes." He shut off the engine. "Dmitry, unload it, let's get this done."

The two soldiers began the process of putting it back on the trolley as Danyev absently followed the Colonel, running the numbers in his head.

"It's ten times more than every nuclear weapon combined! Fifteen times maybe!"

"That's nothing." Ivanov dismissed. "This weapon uses highly refined Naquadah, this is about as powerful as they get, but our researchers are working an a new technology, a more energised form of Naquadah. They believe it will increase the power of our weapons a thousand fold. That'll be pretty to see."

Danyev was having a hard time grasping the magnitude of the power involved. "It's unbelievable!"

"But necessary, we are outnumbered and outgunned, we need these kind of weapons to balance to odds."

"How would we deploy them."

"Funny you mention that Comrade Captain." Ivanov broke a smile. "Let me show you."

The box was loaded onto the trolley and wheeled to the bottom of the ramp, sitting innocuously there with no indication as to its true power.

"We're sending it through the gate." Ivanov announced, inputting a series of symbols on the pedestal and starting the dial out sequence. "Instant long range strike. No warning, no defence."

"Won't they flatten the gate without a correct signal like we do?"

Ivanov laughed. "The Goa'uld never seemed to figure that one out."

The gate splashed open, stabilising quickly.

"Up we go Dmitry."

They pushed the bomb up to the top of the ramp, holding it before the shimmering pool of the wormhole.

"According to our recce teams the world on the other end of this portal is a major ship building planet owned by Heru'r. The gate is about five miles from the main construction centre but with a bomb this big that's not an issue."

He bent down and opened the box revealing a control panel within. Carefully he removed the key given to him by the base commander and slotted it into the bomb, turning it to activate the device.

"Should destroy everything in a few hundred miles." Ivanov informed as he typed in the activation code. "And there's a lot of refined Naquadah in the yards which should help trigger some big secondaries. Ultimately we hope to completely destroy the world as a strategic target, nuke it back to the stone age with one single device."

"Won't Heru'r come for us?" Danyev asked. "This is hard to disguise as anything other than an act of war."

"Very true, but we do have a few things to remember." The Colonel stood. "First the Goa'uld think we are primitives with nowhere near this level of power. Second they are too busy plotting with each other to consider the possibility of us being a threat. Third, and most importantly, this planet is deep within Sokar's territory. By now they should be aware of the gate address and where this package is coming from."

"It'll look like a pre-emptive strike from Sokar." Danyev realised. "Good heavens…"

"Which will confirm Heru'r's paranoia that his rivals are moving on him, triggering an all out war between the two of them, a war that has been brewing for decades."

"They're all eager for a battle, they just never dared start one." The Colonel said. "Here's the excuse. Heru'r hates Sokar, he'll have no trouble accepting this was his doing, we're just giving him a vehicle for his ambitions and resentment."

"Forcing Sokar to hit back."

"And with those two at war it won't take much to tip the others into weighing in either." Ivanov reasoned. "Full scale Goa'uld war, something we've been working to create for a long time. Now we're finally ready."

He rose from the panel and stood behind the bomb.

"Go ahead Comrade, why don't you finish the arming sequence."

Danyev blinked. "Me?"

"Yes, why not?" Ivanov smiled widely. "First push that button, top right."

Hesitantly Danyev knelt down next to the contol panel, acutely aware that this was the most dangerous and deadly instrument ever crafted by the hands of man. He very carefully reached out, his nerves tingling as he rested his index finger on the button and began to apply pressure, sweat beginning to bead on his brow.

"No!" Ivanov shot out a hand. "Not that one!"

Danyev sprang back like an antelope spooked by a lion, his legs catapulting him awkwardly several yards, skidding along with a whelp and falling on his back as he totally lost balance, breathing rapidly as his heart thundered in his ears. Ivanov was also staggering back, but for a different reason.

"Damn me if that wasn't the funniest thing I have ever seen!"

Danyev stopped breathing for a moment. Ivanov was bellowing in laughter, the hard faced man almost in tears.

"It gets them every time!" He spluttered through barked laughter. "Every time!"

Angrily the KGB agent righted himself. "What the hell was that?"

The Colonel forced himself to calm down, with limited success. "It is tradition Comrade, it's your first day in the Command, we have to initiate you. I have to say you were a lot funnier than Vasily! He had no sense of humour."

"So all this was a joke? None of it is real?" Danyev fumed.

"Oh no, it is all real." The Colonel shook his head. "That actually is a giant nuke, speaking of you do actually have to press that button."

"We're about to start a war here!" Danyev growled. "This is hardly the time for jokes Colonel!"

"So the General keeps telling me." Ivanov shrugged. "But what is life without humour?"

Danyev knelt back by the bomb. "Longer."

He pressed the button, illuminating a timer pre set for a ten second count down.

"Alright, now push the red button to start."

"Red button." He exhaled. "Always a red button."

He held his finger over it for a moment, considering the power esting literally at his finger tips. It was so far beyond what he expected, but already this scenario was becoming normal to him. He had taken the leap and accepted the reality of the situation for what it was. He had adapted. By pushing that button it was like something inside also activated, and from then on there was no turning back, not for any of them.

"Done." He stood back, the timer counting down.

"Here it goes." Ivanov took the strain and pushed the trolley through the gate, the bomb disappearing with a ripple in the silver pool. He signalled to Dmitry who hit the large red orb at the top of the pedestal and cut the power, the enigmatic portal flickering away.

"Blas Vidanya." Ivanova announced, then turned back to the truck. "Home time Captain, job well done."

They dialled back to the base and returned to the sunlit listening post, Danyev quiet with his own thoughts as the truck was driven to a stop back where it had come from.

"Colonel, how do we know if it worked?"

"There should be a big change in comms traffic." Ivanova answered. "Lot of places going silent, lot of panic. Probably be a few hours, maybe a day until we know for sure but we just changed the galaxy."

Danyev swallowed back some bile, suddenly wondering how many people had just died because of what he had done. He was massively ashamed it had taken until know for him to understand that.

"You are looking very pale Comrade Captain."

Danyev stepped out of the truck. "I just killed a planet!"

"Well that's an exaggeration Captain, just something the size of a decent country."

Danyev rubbed his eyes, trying to keep his wits and not faint. "What have I done, what have I done?"

"Struck the first blow in Earth's march to victory." Ivanov answered. "You destroyed one of the highest value targets in the galaxy, triggered a war between our worst enemies, detonated more firepower than has ever been released in the history of mankind, and gave me the biggest laugh in years."

The Colonel slapped him on the back in congratulation.

"Not bad for your first day eh Captain? Be hard to find a way to top this tomorrow!"

He grabbed the unsteady KGB officer around the shoulders and steered him towards the gate, Dmitry already dialling home.

"You come to us at the start of a great time, new age for us all Captain and we all have our part to play. No more doubts."

"I think I just killed millions of people…Oh… I'm going to be sick."

"Suck it up Captain, you're a hero!" Ivanov tightened his grip. "They are the enemy, they deserve it."

"I thought we wanted to liberate them?"

"Technicality." Ivanov shrugged. "We need to win first."

"What am I going to say to people when they ask how my first day went?" Danyev panicked slightly. "What do I say to the people who will stare at me in the street for this?"

"Know what I would say to them in your place Comrade Captain?"

"What?"

"Cry some more." Ivanov smiled thinly as he walked through the gate. "Cry some more."


	4. Chapter 4

Vorak waited stiffly, standing rigid and tall in his resplendid armour. It was polished to a sheen, far superior to the armour worn by other Jaffa as a sign of his standing in the legions of Ba'al, his position of authority. He was not a Prime, at least not yet, but he did have authority over a company of warriors some hundred strong currently tasked with guarding the Chapa'ai on this world while their lord set about doing whatever it was gods did.

This was not exactly the jewel in lord Ba'al's crown. It was to his eyes a wasteland, a white snow covered ice ball of mountains, lakes and bare trees erupting like hard spikes from the frozen earth. He had not seen any other trace of live beside his own warriors in a week, no subjects, no villagers, no birds or animals even. Nothing. Yet Ba'al had declared this world had value, and far be it from a Jaffa to defy his god.

Their Ha'tak had landed a few miles away upon the remnants of a great pyramid that had not seen attention in many centuries and from its belly the Jaffa had poured, scouring the world in search of anomalies or life. There were a few signs, some old villages that were now ice sheened ruins but nothing recent. Ba'al however knew more, his great wisdom telling him the gate had been activated recently and needed to be guarded. While other warriors camped near the ruined village Vorak guarded the gate, considering it a fairly pointless exercise but necessary. It was the will of Ba'al.

The cold was intense but Vorak did not flinch, he did not even move as the breath misted before his eyes, billowing from his lungs and rising into the clear blue sky. There were no clouds, nothing to hold the heat in, just a distant bright sun that served only to make his armour glint. His warriors were likewise quite miserable, many of them wrapped in rags and cloaks over their armour to try and capture some heat. Vorak did not blame them but would not show such weakness himself.

As his mind dwelled on such matters a sudden clunk from the gate snapped his attention back to the matter at hand. The great grey ring began to move without warning, the inner portion rotating and sliding into position, each of the lights around the gate illuminating in sequence. Ba'al had been right.

"Jaffa!" He bellowed in a gust of white breath. "Cree!"

His soldiers stumbled to their feet, abandoning the meagre fires of hard wood and weak soup they had been coaxing and taking up arms, grabbing the cold metal of the staff weapons and slipping onto their feet in the ice and compacted snow.

"Defensive ring!" Vorak stalked among them. "Here to here! Swiftly!"

The warriors hurriedly fell into formation as the final light glowed to life, blasting a geyser of exotic energy in a contained explosion that fell back into the wormhole. The Jaffa formed a semi circle in front of the gate, weapons held tight, waiting.

There was a ripple at the surface, a faint movement that caused some motion in the wormhole.

"Prepare!" Vorak shouted. "On my word only!"

The staff weapons snapped open in a crackle of energy, primed and armed ready for battle. The warriors holding them utterly calm and fearless, unafraid of serving and perhaps dying for their god. They waited.

The ripple moved and expanded, but to Vorak's consternation it was not a man that emerged from the doorway of heaven. A green tube protruded from the centre of the gate, a large metallic object that kept on extending. It wasn't what Vorak had expected and he could see from the sideways glances his warriors were also surprised.

As he watched more emerged from the gate, a grim metal mass of slopes and angles flanked by moving metal plates that were rotating around a series of wheels. The monstrosity was merging from the middle of the gate, seemingly floating in mid air until its centre of gravity shifted and the construct nosed forward crashing down on the stone slope leading up to the gate. The rest of the object fell out of the Chapa'ai, sliding down the ramp with a grunt of power and twin plumes of black smoke from its rear.

Vorak had never seen anything like it, the green device was only just small enough to fit through the gate and appeared immensely heavy and cumbersome. If pushed itself along on its rusted metal tracks, the dominating tube attached to a rotating turret mounted on top crowned with several protrusions. It looked a lot like a weapon. A big one.

The creation stopped at the bottom of the ramp, rocking slightly on its suspension as it did so. Slowly the turret rotated the gun left and right like a predator eyeing up its next meal, taking a measure of the warriors. The Jaffa were looking back and forth, unsure what to make of this intimidating arrival and waiting for Vorak to do something. Before him the green beast continued to rumble, the noise of its propulsion reverberating in his chest. He decided to act.

"Stranger!" He declared loudly. "This is a world of Ba'al! State your business!"

Slowly and deliberately the tube swung around to face him, a creak and squeal of metal accompanying its movement as it peered at him.

"Announce you intentions!" Vorak demanded, summoning courage. "Speak, or suffer the wrath of Ba'al!"

Vorak was entirely sure what happened next. He dimly recalled as if seeing it through a haze that the ground was moving past him quite fast, and he wasn't actually running. He remembered a hammer blow of air battering the side of his body and a sharp crack before his hearing was taken from him. He remembered dirty brown smoke, and then he remembered hitting the ground face first. It was as cold as he had expected.

In the few moments it took for him to recover his senses and roll on his side he concluded the new arrival was hostile. He also concluded that he had probably had all his limbs broken, and likely suffered a lot of internal damage too. The ground was shaking beneath him, a constant rumbling he could feel but not hear as he tried to move, to at least roll onto his side so he could see what was happening. With great pain he pushed with his broken arm and turned his head. He wished at once he hadn't.

The green monster was moving, spitting streaks of red and orange from a smaller tube beside its main weapon. The bright streaks passed easily through Jaffa armour and dropped his warriors in clouds of red one after the other. Occasionally a much deeper thump announced the firing of the main weapon, the long tube blasting chunks of ground and Jaffa into the air to rain down across the plain. Droplets of blood fell like red rain after each shot, all that remained of several of his men.

Flashes of staff fire informed him his warriors were fighting back, the sizzling energy slamming into the side of the metal beast with searing light and heat, yet with no effect. The shots blackened the surface, scarred it and left some areas of pitted and bubbled metal, but did not penetrate deep enough to cause more than a surface wound to the monster.

The vehicle turned left and drove to a new position clearing the way for a second identical unit to bounce down the ramp, and then a third. His hundred warriors were getting slaughtered, their weapons useless against the behemoths crushing their way across the red stained snow. A set of tracks passed near by his head, steaming pieces of some unfortunate Jaffa caught in the treads and sprockets like gristle between a tiger's teeth. His unit was gone.

Vorak became aware of his hearing returning, for what little good it did. Through the fuzzy haze of his own blood pouring through his ears he could discern voices along with the growl of engines and the stink of fumes. He did not know what they were saying , his hearing was not acute enough to pick out words just the garbled noise. He did know however that they were orders. Race or world didn't matter, he knew the bark of a leader when he heard it, this was an invasion.

Scores of figures were running through the gate in thickly padded white clothing carrying alien weapons. He heard the dull crackle of them firing, dropping the few remaining warriors around him that had survived the metal terror. The gate was lost, they had failed their god. Vorak now knew that death was his only option.

A pair of boots halted beside him, and the JAffa raised his eyes to look up to a masked face, hooded and covered in a white scarf and black goggles. The obscured face stared at him briefly, then pointed a weapon at him and fired loudly.

Vorak didn't mind at all.

"Ivanov to command, the gate is secured. We have a foothold."

No more needed to be said, his forces began to fan out, finish off any stragglers and wait for reinforcements.

"Reminds me of home Colonel." Major Chekov grinned, slapping his gloved hands together to work in some heat. "Another damn ice box."

Colonel Ivanov shrugged his insulated shoulders slightly. "I like the cold."

He stepped down the ramp from the gate, the stones chipped with bars of white where the T-62's had slipped down and into action. He stepped over the pulped remnants of an enemy soldier and raised a pair of binoculars from around his neck.

"The ruined village is ahead, just as reported."

"The scouts brought in an accurate report?" Chekov huffed. "Makes a change."

"General Konev would have shot them if they were wrong." Ivanov stated. "Literally. We can believe what they say, which means the primary target is less than five miles away beyond a frozen river."

"An alien spaceship." The Major remarked. "It's almost unbelievable."

"Almost." He agreed. "Prepare the men to move out."

Over his shoulder more men filed through the gate, jogging down and spreading out into positions. Among them walked an officer and his staff.

"Colonel Ivanov, excellent work."

He returned the greeting. "Colonel Draguv, your Spetsnaz layabouts ready for a real fight?"

"If your airborne goons can do it my boys will handle things with their eyes closed."

Both men gripped each other in a rough bear hug. "Been too long friend, good to have a decent officer at my back!"

"And glad to have you leading the way Ivanov." The Spetsnaz Colonel nodded. "We have more armour on the way, we'll clear the village and storm the ship before it leaves."

"Best get going then." Ivanov decided.

"After you Comrade."

It hadn't taken long for more Jaffa to mobilise, small patrols at first drawn to the sounds of fighting but gradually increasing in strength and numbers. The clatter of small arms fire grew more and more frequent, punctuated by the occasional blast from one of the tanks.

"Major Chekov, bound by company!" Ivanov ordered gruffly. "Take the village!"

"Yes Colonel." His second confirmed. "Captain, forward!"

The airborne soldiers emerged from the snow and advanced, the three tanks gunning their engines and following. To reach the village they had first to proceed between the leafless trees of a small wood invested with Jaffa warriors. It was not likely to be pleasant.

Chekov was a man who led from the front, assault rifle in hand inspiring his men with his courage. The Airborne units were an elite, highly motivated and well equipped but a little encouragement never hurt. Their army cousins, the Spetsnaz troopers began to join them and strengthen their ranks holding either flank while Ivanov's regiment pushed forward.

Grey shapes moved between the trees, Jaffa warriors crunching through the snow and firing wildly from the hip. Their weapons were woefully inaccurate, the energy bolts rarely hitting anything at these sort of ranges.

"Look boys! We've found something less accurate than our Kalashnikovs!" One of the soldiers cheered, his comment met with a brief riot of laughter.

"So demonstrate it!" The Major ordered. "Open fire!"

The Russian soldiers engaged, the pepper of bullets and bursts of LMG fire pelting the incoming Jaffa. Advancing in small groups or as individuals the enemy had no chance, they were picked off by Ivanov's men without much effort. They advanced over the bodies of the fallen, often putting a few more rounds into them to make sure.

"Look a lot like us don't they Comrade Major?" a passing soldier remarked. "Not like aliens."

"They do, and they die just as easily." Chekov grinned. "Introduce them to Soviet steel!"

The troops pushed forward until finally they met some organised resistance, a block of a few hundred Jaffa charging in open order. It was an amazing sight, a thick mass of bodies rushing through the trees under the pale blu sky and above the harsh white ground, roaring their battle cries and firing repeated blasts as they charged.

"Hold!" Chekov barked. "Take cover! Fire at will!"

The Russians hit the deck, two of them catching staff blasts in the process due to sheer weight of fire. Thousands of bullets scythed into the Jaffa, throwing them down and twisting their bodies into heaps. A thunderous snap heralded the presence of a tank, shredding a dozen Jaffa in one high explosive impact that tore the heart out of the attack. It was a massacre, the sort of war the Jaffa were trained for simply could not stand up to machine guns and tanks.

"Back on your feet!" Chekov changed a magazine in his own smoking rifle. "Keep going, nearly there!"

The forest thinned out ahead revealing the village, an assortment of low stone buildings and walls that had long since fallen into disrepair. A few still had roofs and windows, but most were just husks. However they still provided good cover for the JAffa, most of whom were smart enough to understand the value of hiding behind a stone wall or firing from a loophole.

Chekov gunned down a stray warrior with his AK before spotting a fresh challenge, a tripod mounted staff cannon set up at the edge of the village.

"Take cover!"

The cannon fired, the searing blast whizzing past and splintering a tree in a shower of pale wood. Its stability made it a bit more accurate and therefore more deadly. With a familiar rumble one of the T-62s moved up, chattering tracer fire as it advanced. Its high calibre bullets tore one Jaffa to mangled pieces before is comrade took over the cannon and fired back, the impact blasting a spotlight from the turret.

Suddenly another cannon fired from a hidden location, their shots converging on the tank and gradually eroding its armour. Unable to see the second gun the tank popped smoke and began to pull back.

"Up to us then." Chekov grunted. "Disily! RPG front!"

The cannon was too busy firing into the smoke trying to finish the tank to notice the new threat. Disily took one of the conical projectiles and wedged it in the launcher, the iconic weapon now about to earn notoriety on a new world. He aimed carefully, or as least as much as was practical with a device like an RPG, and fired.

The rocket whooshed away in a pall of smoke, its appearance so bizarre the Jaffa did not immediately run away. It cost them their lives, blasting them and the cannon into ruin. The second cannon further away suffered a similar fate at Spetsnaz hands, clearing the way to the village.

"Now Comrades, into the village! Charge!"

They erupted from the tree line in a white wave, their only option being to run as quickly as possible from the shield of the trees to the cover of the walls. The Jaffa met them with fire, cutting down several Soviet soldiers with blasts of energy that burned through their white uniforms with ease. One of the buildings containing several Jaffa vanished in a cloud of smoke as a T-62 erased it, the explosion collapsing the structure onto its defenders. It was the longest run of Chekov's life, but he made it.

"House clearance details! Go!"

Small groups of soldiers advanced, each one taking a house in turn and attacking it. They threw grenades through windows or sometimes over the walls through non-existent roofs and then stormed in, machine gunning anything that survived the grenade. It was bloody work, and several paratroopers were felled by Jaffa staff blasts at point blank range but door by door the village began to change hands.

"Aircraft!" A voice suddenly warned. "To the North!"

Chekov squinted in that direction, spotting two dark blurs against the pale sky.

"Take cover! Missile teams bring them down!"

The two gliders swooped in, spraying fire into the village. Most of the men hit the dirt and clustered in corners avoiding the worst, however the closest support tank had no where to hide. The vehicle was hit by scores of blasts on its upper hull, each hit sparking and showering molten metal to fall with a hiss on the snow below. Black smoke poured from the vehicle as its hatches squeaked open and its crew fell out choking.

As the gliders turned away they were trailed by a quartet of white trails rising up from shoulder launchers, the anti aircraft missiles chasing down the gliders before they could use their impressive acceleration to outrun them.

"Alright, fun's over!" Chekov informed his men. "Back to work! Get killing!"

The plain in front of the gate had transformed from a still quiet field of snow to a forward base. Trucks and APC's packed with soldiers drove through over metal ramps designed to raise the entry point to the gate enough for regular vehicle travel. A pair of SAM tanks waited with a trio of giant missiles on the racks while a platoon of battle tanks dug in around the perimeter aided by four hundred elite Soviet infantry. A pair of command vehicles were already set up with a radar truck hastily getting ready beside them.

It was into this frantic preparation General Vladimir Konev stepped, the grizzled bear casting a harsh eye over proceedings and finding them largely satisfactory. He did not wear white camouflage like his subordinates, instead stepping through the gate in a khaki greatcoat and peaked cap crusted with gold braid. He had no need to hide, never had and never would.

"Lieutenant Zofia." He spoke in a voice hardly above a whisper as he reached the bottom of the ramp and moved aside, lines of men streaming through the gate behind him still. "Report."

His aide saluted, a slender brunette also in Khaki though considerably more insulated than the General's formal wear. Whether he was cold or not was irrelevant, Konev did not shiver or give any indication of discomfort. Like the body of the Jaffa commander he stepped over appearance was everything.

"General, we have cleared the woods and the village." Zofia reported. "We are moving on the main target."

"Good, I want that radar set up now." He said calmly. "We are vulnerable to air attack."

"At once sir."

"The gate is about to shut. When it reopens we will have Gunships brought through. Make sure they have space."

"Yes General."

He looked over his shoulder as the thirty eight minutes elapsed. To his disgust one of the soldiers was just a fraction too slow making the crossing and the gate shut while he was still in transit, neatly severing one of his legs.

"Medics!" Zofia shouted. "Here! Quickly!"

"Bloody fool." Konev turned his back on the screeching man. "I have no place for fools in my command, get him out of my sight."

He walked towards the command post as the radar truck finally activated, the large dish on its roof slowly beginning its rotation.

"Air contact!" One of the operators called. "Incoming aircraft!"

"I knew it." Konev hissed. "Is it the primary target?"

"No General, they appear to be bomber sized vehicles, ten plus."

"The craft known as Al'Kesh." Zofia surmised. "They are dangerous."

"So are we." Konev grunted. "Shoot them down."

"They are very close comrade General…"

"Shoot them down." He repeated. "Then consider yourself relieved for insubordination."

One of the SAM tanks swung its rack of missiles up and fired, the missiles blazing skyward on jets of fire. They launched in sequence, one three seconds after the other climbing high and leaving a thin white trace in the blue heavens.

"Goggles." Konev said, and those not wearing them at once pulled on their black shaded eyewear.

The world flashed white, and intense blaze of bright illumination that reflected back up from the snow. A second and third glow detonated a few seconds later, kiloton yield explosions generated by the nuclear tipped anti aircraft missiles.

"Any survivors?"

The operator checked his screen, the system slowly recovering as the radiation dimmed.

"No General."

"Good, now Lieutenant, are we at the ship yet?"

Ter'ak headbutted the closest soldier, grabbing a second by the arm and swinging him into the shining wall of the Ha'tak corridor. These white clad men were good, but they were no match for the First Prime of Ba'al. The mighty Jaffa drove his heel into the wind pipe of a Russian at his feet and moved on, snapping a couple of shots from the Zat he clutched in his hand. He preferred the staff of course, but in the confines of a warship the Zat'nika'tel was far more efficient.

Bullets sparked from the wall as a pair of Russians bounded forward, crouching and steadying themselves to improve their aim. The warriors Ter'ak led responded, some of them falling with grunts and exhalations as the enemy found their mark. Unlike most of his brethren Ter'ak had learned to aim and while his brothers soaked up the bullets he picked off enemy soldiers one after another.

Unfortunately Ter'ak's skill was not shared by his men. The Jaffa were losing ground, driven back by bullets and grenades as the white clad men drove on, ignoring their own casualties with the coldness of a true Jaffa. They were worthy opponents, but that didn't mean Ter'ak wanted to lose.

A pair of grenades exploded ahead of him, gutting two of his comrades in sprays of crimson. Additional Russian soldiers raced forward with a cheer, their loud weapons claiming more Jaffa. The two groups assaulted each other, firing from the hip in the corridor, unable to hide or take cover. Men died quickly, fell wounded and were stepped over by their brothers, but it was the Russians that were the better. The Jaffa took no step back, but still gave ground as they died faster than reinforcements could arrive.

Ter'ak punched a Russian who got too close before shooting a second. Others were brought down by his brother Jaffa who were apparently superior in single combat, but gradually becoming overwhelmed. Three Russians kicked down a Jaffa, bayoneting him on the floor. Others beat down more warriors with the butts of their rifles or pumped lead into them at point blank range. Against such numbers there was no chance.

There was a jab of pain as a bullet smashed the Prime's shoulder, an injury which just made him more angry. He shot down another opponent before he had to step back, he had to give ground. The ship was falling and they still didn't have the power to take off. He staggered back and met a group of Jaffa running to join the battle.

"Here!" He called them over. "Form here! Defensive line!"

He turned to view the battle as his new troops gathered, turning just in time to see a man point a green cone at him from a shoulder launcher. He saw the cone launch in a puff of smoke and almost in slow motion saw it get bigger and bigger as it travelled the dozen yards to his location.

Major Chekov ducked aside from the explosion and its grisly detritus that slapped the walls and floor of the corridor, actually grinning maniacally to himself at scoring such a victory. Beside him Ivanov remained impassive.

"Looks like the command room over there, no movement." The Colonel said.

"Yes sir!" Chekov beamed. "We've broken their backs!"

"Stay with it, hunt them down." Ivanov said. "I'll inform command we have the ship."

The airborne soldiers pushed on with their Spetsnaz brothers, Colonel Ivanov stepping aside to examine the command centre.

"Not bad, is this all real gold?"

Ivanov turned to see Draguv admiring the throne in the centre of the room, the Spetsnaz Colonel tapping it with a fingernail.

"Could be, these Goa'uld are supposed to be ostentatious with their wealth. Worse than Americans."

"So this one is Ba'al yes?"

From nowhere a booming voice gave answer.

"Yes!"

Draguv was too slow, he was thrown through the air and smashed against a wall as the Goa'uld emerged from hiding, his hand device raging with power. At once Ivanov reacted, blasting a full magazine of bullets from his AKM with no effect, the personal shield deflecting the hits.

"Fool." Ba'al laughed, extending his hand. "You would fight a god?"

He activated the ribbon device, distorting energy assaulting the Colonel and driving him to his knees, gasping in pain.

"You will not take my ship." He informed. "I shall take off, eject your men and bomb the rest from orbit."

Ivanov tried to reach his sidearm, but it was useless.

"You amuse me, surely you did not seek to hurt me with such primitive weapons?"

With no warning Ba'al's arm was suddenly snatched away, twisting as something hit it and dropping to the floor, the fingers slowly contracting as the Goa'uld gasped in shock, to surprised to even feel pain. Ivanov seized his chance, and punched the alien.

"I hate it when I get thrown around." Draguv grunted. "My back is killing me."

Ivanov reached down beside the severed hand and picked up a hatchet. "You threw this?"

"I'm Spetsnaz, tomahawks are part of our arsenal." Draguv shrugged. "I was waiting until he finished the words 'Primitive weapon' for added irony."

"You people are mad. And also thanks." Ivanov said. "We better take all his gadgets before he wakes up."

"He's going to be sorry when he comes around."

The GAZ scoutcar pulled up in front of the landed Ha'tak, Lieutenant Zofia staring at it in wonder while General Konev treated it like any other building. He was met by Ivanov who offered a crisp salute.

"Good work Colonel." Konev responded to the blue bereted man. "Enemy presence?"

"Survivors have retired to the caves beneath the Pyramid sir." He answered. "Reports say something valuable is down there, Colonel Draguv awaits your orders to assault."

"He can wait, I'm sending in a Penal battalion." Konev informed. "No need to waste Spetsnaz on a tunnel fight, send in convicts, no one gives a damn if they die."

"Yes general."

"So where is this prisoner?"

"Inside sir, if you will follow me."

He led the two officers into the ship, past the blood stained and bullet scarred corridors to a large central chamber where a thin figure stood under guard, one forearm ending in a bandaged stump.

"The Goa'uld Ba'al General." Ivanov announced, then stepped back for the General.

"Ba'al." Konev repeated. "I am Lieutenant General Vladimir Konev, hero of the Soviet Union. This world is now a protectorate of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and all on it now belongs to the Proletariat."

Ba'al spat blood onto the floor, his body and face bruised.

"You are a prisoner of the Red Army." Konev continued. "You will surrender your fleet to us. You will show us how to operate these vehicles and provide help developing our own versions. You will do this, or I will torture you to death repeatedly until you obey the will of the Soviet People."

Ba'al stuck up his chin. "I will not. You will obey me, or die."

Konev grinned slightly. "I admire that spirit. But I must break you."

With a sneer Ba'al flashed his eyes. "Bow before your god."

Konev nodded slowly, then drew back his arm and punched a meaty fist into Ba'al's stomach, doubling the alien over.

"Communism has no god."

He gestured at the Goa'uld and one of his men hit the alien with his rifle, dropping him to his knees before the General. Konev savoured each and every second.

"See Comrades! In Soviet Russia gods bow to you!"


	5. Chapter 5

I always thought I'd finish this but after these years it isn't going to happen. I don't like abandoning stories but I just don't really have the time or enthusiasm to continue.

But I don't want to just leave it hanging, so here is a summary of what would have happened if I had the desire to continue.

Everything so far has been set up, this was just bringing in characters, describing the Soviet SG mission and how it was a little more direct than the US one. With this now done the main plot would involve the Soviets triggering a civil war among the System Lords.

The first real arc would have the launch of the Soviet Navy's first home made starship, the Leonov which would look like the ship from the film 2010. Very primitive, very bulky, but it has shields, particle weapons and hyperdrive based on Goa'uld tech so pretty tough.

The ship would be sent on a mission to secure more tech for the Soviets and spy on events. With Ba'al's 'help' the Soviets would engineer their war, and then sit back while the System Lords demolish each other.

We'd see that the Soviets had treaties and alliances with several worlds they had contacted and were spreading Communism across the galaxy, giving tech boosts to primitive worlds and installing governors.

Gradually the Soviets are expanding their nation and annexing small simple worlds for mining and agriculture, or allying with larger worlds like Hebridia and Langara.

We'd then skip a couple of years. The System Lords are still fighting and taking losses while the Soviets have begun large scale construction of a space fleet. Using resources from their colonies the first of the new generation space battleships is launched, Red October under Captain Marco Ramius. Yeah, that same guy :)

We see the Soviets begin to act more aggressively, striking more openly at Goa'uld worlds and eradicating minor system lords. All the time Ba'al is on Earth helping Russia, but of course is biding his time before he can escape. He see the opportunity here to let the System Lords kill each other, then let the Soviets attack whoever is left, at which point Ba'al will make his own move and break away to carve out an empire from the ruins left by the dead System Lords.

Things don't go quite to plan. Apophis realises Earth is now a threat and he attacks. While the Asgard are sympathetic they can't offer immediate help, Earth has to fight by itself until a ship can be spared from the Replicator threat.

With Apophis on the way the Soviets have no choice but to disclose their programme, at which point NATO says yeah, we knew. Turns out in 1947 an Asgard ship crashed at Roswell and Area 51 had been playing with it ever since. While the US programme is much smaller it has developed some better tech based on Asgard science which can now be deployed.

While Earth now has the power to fight it can't match Apophis for numbers. The invasion begins.

Apophis fights a major battle in orbit against the Soviet and NATO space fleets, eventually driving them back. Ground based weapons protect most major cities but some places are nuked from orbit. Apophis cannot land in Europe or North America due to the defences, but lands instead in South America and Africa. From there he launches a ground attack against NATO and the Soviets, but the conventional Cold War era armies make mincemeat of the Jaffa.

Reinforcements from hebridia and Tollan help swing the balance and drive off Apophis, the arrival of Thor and several Asgard ships finishing the deal.

During the battle our Soviet characters will work with a young Captain Jack O'Neill and a Colonel Hammond representing NATO, along with other characters including Teal'c and Bra'tac who will use this to break away from the Goa'uld. Near the end Ba'al will kill Apophis.

While Earth is busy fighting the old enemy returns, the survivors of the Third Reich who escaped at the beginning found a home on Euronda, allied with the Aschen and have been preparing to strike back. With Earth weakened they begin to attack Soviet colonies in preparation for an assault on Earth itself.

The war with Apophis was vicious and both NATO and the Soviets must unite to stop the more advanced Reich from returning. After a hard fight Earth will win, and Ba'al will escape to create his own empire with surviving Nazis and resources from Apophis' defeated nation.

This will shape the new galaxy, with Earth too damaged to be divided the nations unite and form a greater alliance with the other free worlds of the galaxy opposing the rise of Ba'al as the new supreme System Lord. There would also be the threat of Replicators in the future, but for a while peace would reign and Earth would be united, ready for the future.


End file.
